Summer is the optimum time for the beginning of the festival season, and they are there for all of us to enjoy. The beautiful island of Crete hosts plenty of cultural music and events, celebrating in their own style. But summer is even more exciting and special, with vacationers on holiday from all over the world! Here are a few festivals to enjoy this summer in Crete.

Kyrvia Festival

Ierapetra’s annual fun filled Kyrvia festival runs from July to August and features a whole host of events and a programme of cultural activities. These include singing and dancing nights by local folk and popular groups, special concerts by famous artists, film screenings, theatre performances, and plenty of time for a night of singing and dancing in the streets of the old town.

Lato Cultural Festival

During July and August, the Lato Cultural Festival hosted by Agios Nikolaos features a large array of activities, having something to suit everyone. These include folk dancing, theatre, mantinadhes (rhyming couplets) contests, concerts by local and international musicians, and art exhibitions. The Lato Folk Museum holds a beautiful collection of artefacts from the island. If this isn’t enough, you can also discover a treasure-trove of relics from the Minoan era in their archaeological museum.

Casa Dei Mezzo Music Festival

This is a festival for the lovers of classical music, being the only summer classical music festival in Crete. The Casa Dei Mezzo festival at Makrigialos, Ierapetra, is renowned with international artists of world-class singers and musicians taking part. If you enjoy Chamber Music then this event, held at the end of June at Crete’s premier classical concert venue is not to be missed.

Kornaria Festival

The Kornaria festival is hosted by Sitia and runs from mid-July to the end of August. The events include concerts, folk dancing and theatre productions staged in the Kazarma and other venues. This is a great festival to see if you’re on a budget, as some of the events are free!

At Pure Crete, we are here to help you book your summer break away and fulfil your bucket list, so get in contact and book your holiday to Crete today!