On Wednesday evening, July 19th, the Afrata Honey Festival was held for the first time since the end of the pandemic, at the old primary school in Afrata village – a handsome building set high above the road to Astratigos and overlooking Kolymbari bay, with an extensive courtyard in front seemingly designed for large-scale events. It was organised by the “Afrata Cultural Association ‘Peninsula of Peace’”, known to locals simply as “the Syllogos”, which had become somewhat moribund in recent years, partly because of Covid and possibly also through a lack of interest by the older generation who served on its committee. However, following elections earlier in the year the Syllogos had been revivified by an intake of young blood, and residents were waiting with interest to see what results this might bring.
Music at the Afrata Honey Festival was provided by Petros Maroulis and his group.
The new Honey Festival amply repaid their expectations. The event had been brought forward to July from its customary date in early August, which had tended to be marred by high winds, making for a more comfortable evening for those attending. The catering was executed with great efficiency by young staff from the village’s Kali Kardia and Afrata Paradise restaurants. There was music from Petros Maroulis and his band and further entertainment from a group of traditional Cretan dancers.
The Cretan dancers had everyone reaching for their mobile phones.
An entrance fee of €5.00 entitled each guest to a plate with a cheese kalitsouni, a xerotigano and a small tub of honey. A small bottle of wine was provided free on the tables for every half dozen or so guests. Further food and drink were available to purchase from the bar: lamb souvlakia, salads, tzatziki and fried potatoes as well as beer, wine and soft drinks. This formula, already tried at earlier festivals, had replaced the traditional one entailing an entrance fee of €15.00, which included a full meal with several different courses and had led to a lot of food being wasted.
No doubt partly due to a pent-up demand which had gone unsatisfied during the pandemic, the festival was a great success. We were informed that some 850 guests in all had been seated and catered for – a record and a remarkable feat considering that most of the food was prepared on the spot. The operation was efficiently organised by the young staff, as evidenced by the lack of long queues at the bar throughout the evening.
The music of Petros Maroulis was energetic, traditional without being clichéd, with the customary line-up of guitar, lute and lyra/vocals plus, intermittently, a drum and an askomandoura (Cretan bagpipe). The only drawback was the excruciating volume which seems obligatory at such events, and which locals appear immune to.
Following a professional dance display, which had everyone reaching for their mobile phone cameras, came the customary sirto performed by the event’s staff, and from then on the music continued until 5.00 or 6.00 am – as we were informed by some somnolent figures on Afrata beach the following morning.