.:Local Life and Events
A full calendar
Although there are cities and larger towns in the Peloponnese most people live in small towns and villages and for the vast majority of the people it is still a very rural way of life. A sense of community is very evident and the people are warm, welcoming and generous. Greece is steeped in traditional customs and they celebrate national holidays enthusiastically. Name days*, weddings and funerals all have great significance and national holidays such as Independence Day are celebrated with style.
(*Name days are celebrated in Greece and not birthdays. As many children are named after saints their name day will be celebrated on the feast day of that particular saint.)
Photos from the Koroni Carnival & Independence Day celebrations.
January
New Year's Day - St Basil the Great
Jan 6 - Feast of Epiphany - In the Greek Orthodox Church this commemorates
the baptism of Christ and not the coming of the Magi.
Jan 7 - St John the Baptist
February
'Carnival' - a celebration over three weeks prior to Lent culminating in most large towns having a carnival parade.
Kathera Devtera - 'Clean Monday' - the first day of Lent.
Although now in Lent the day is still festive in nature and local families
go to the countryside to eat simple Lenten picnics and the major pastime
is kite-flying.
(NB Both the dates of Carnival and Clean Monday vary according to the date of Easter)
March
The celebration of the beginning of the revolution of 1821 on March 23 in Kalamata.
Mar 25 - Independence Day - a National Holiday Schoolchildren parade in costume and there is traditional dancing in the towns squares.
April
Easter - variable dates (NB does not necessarily coincide with UK and rest of Europe!)
This is the major religious festival in Greece and is celebrated in style
May
May 1 - May Day and also Spring Festival. A national holiday
June
June 29 - St Peter and St Paul June 30 - Day of the twelve Apostles
July
July 20 - St Elijah Many churches - usually on hilltops - are named after St Elijah
Festival in honour of Tellos Agras in July in Gargaliani.
July 15-22
The 16th Kalamata International Dance festival www.kalamatadancefestival.gr/index_en.php
August
Most Greeks go on holiday in this month and resorts are very busy. August 15 - Assumption Day - a very big national holiday The Festival of Panagia this day in Kardamyli and Koroni.
September
Sep 8 - The Virgin Mary's Birthday Sep 14 - Elevation of the Cross - an important feast day.
The Carnival and the six-day Bazaar in September in Meligalas and Messini
October
The celebration of the anniversary of the sea fight of Navarino on October 20 in Pylos.
Oct 28 Οχι Day ('No' Day) - A annual national holiday. In 1940 General Metaxas said 'No' to the demands of Mussolini that Italian troops should have a right of passage through Greece. In the subsequent fighting the Greek army heavily defeated the Italians.
November
Nov 8 - St Michael and St Gabriel Nov 21 - Presentation of the Virgin Mary Nov 30 - St Andrew
December
Dec 6 - St Nicholas - not the Greek Father Christmas that is St Basil. Dec 25 - Christmas Day ! Dec 26 - Public Holiday
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