August 15th, Sikinos Episkopi, festival of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary,

A beloved summer destination for festival lovers, Sikinos comes alive with celebrations steeped in faith and tradition. On August 15th, Episkopi hosts the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, featuring local specialities, traditional dances, and live music. The eve of the Dormition is marked by a bread blessing (artoklasia) and a Divine Liturgy at the Church of Pantanassa. At the same time, the feast day itself culminates in a solemn procession of the holy icon.

One of the island’s most cherished customs is that of the panigyras — a family who keeps the icon in their home throughout the year, tends to the church it belongs to, and prepares the honeyed pasteli (a sesame treat) served during the festivities.

In Alopronia, from late August until Christmas, grand celebrations take place on nights when fishing boats head out to catch squid using the “kaftero” method — a traditional technique of night fishing with bright lights to attract squid, an age-old and still-practised custom across the Mediterranean, especially in Greece.