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August 15th
The Assumption of the Virgin Mary on August 15th is one of Greece’s major religious celebrations. In Ikaria, however, it takes on a unique dimension, as the festival on this day is the highlight of the summer and draws crowds from all over the island—and visitors from across Greece and abroad.
The Festival of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary is celebrated in many villages of Ikaria. Some of the most notable festivals are held in:
- Kampa (Agios Kirykos)
- Panagia (Agios Kirykos)
- Perdiki
- Monokampi
- Gialiskari
- Kouniadoi
- Laggada
- Akamatra (Messaria)
- Kosoikia (Messaria)
- Chrysostomos
In every village, the day begins with a festive Divine Liturgy, followed by communal feasting and celebration. The highlight of the meal is boiled goat with pilaf, accompanied by homemade meze, local cheeses, and plenty of Ikarian wine. Live music, featuring violin and lute, fills the squares, and the dancing begins.
The heart of every festival is the Ikarian dance, where locals and visitors join hands in one large circle that grows and moves endlessly, often lasting until dawn.
The Religious Celebration
In the morning, church bells ring joyfully across the villages of Ikaria. The faithful gather for the Divine Liturgy and to venerate the icon of the Virgin Mary. Key centres of celebration include Panagia Lagkada and Panagia of Karkinagri, though festivals are held in nearly every village.
The Festivities
After the service, village squares fill with tables of delicious local foods:
- the signature boiled goat with pilaf,
- homemade meze and cheeses,
- seasonal salads,
- plenty of local wine and raki.
The food is prepared collectively by the villagers, and proceeds from the festival often support the local school, church, or other community needs.
Once the first notes of the violin and lute are heard, the dancing begins. The Ikarian dance, slow at first and gradually faster, unites hundreds of people—locals and visitors alike—forming one large circle that celebrates late into the night.
Indicative Festival Program – August 15th
- 07:30 – 10:30: Matins and Festive Divine Liturgy at the churches of the Virgin Mary.
- 10:30 – 11:00: Distribution of blessed bread and offerings to the faithful.
- 11:00 – 13:00: Tables set up in the village square, first serving of food and wine.
- 13:00 – 18:00: Festivities with traditional music, violin, lute, and continuous Ikarian dancing.
- 18:00 – 20:00: Break and rest for villagers and visitors.
- 20:00 – until dawn: A nighttime celebration featuring dancing, food, and wine, lasting until sunrise.
The Spirit of the Festival
The Assumption festival in Ikaria is more than just a religious and cultural event—it is a shared experience of community and solidarity. Everyone becomes one big family—locals and visitors, young and old—in a celebration that combines faith, tradition, and the joy of life.
For visitors, it is an unforgettable experience: an authentic expression of the Ikarian spirit, where music, hospitality, and faith come together as one.
Featured in Greece’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Ikaria festival draws visitors from across Greece and abroad throughout the year. Among the 80 festivals held, the most famous—and the largest in the Aegean—is the one in Lagada on August 15, often referred to as “Panagia the Raver.” Guests savour traditional dishes, enjoy the island’s red wine, and dance the Ikarian syrtos beneath a starlit sky. Equally distinctive is the seaside festival in Gialiskari.
The Ikariotikos dance of the festivals is perhaps the most well-known and lively traditional dance of Ikaria and is an integral part of the island’s festival culture. Festivals in Ikaria are large celebrations with food, music, and dance that often last late into the night, and the Ikariotikos is the main dance that brings everyone together.
