RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
Every summer the Municipality of Rethymno organizes various cultural events in the fortress of Forteza, giving the citizens of Rethymno unforgettable evenings with an aura of culture.
The 1st Renaissance Theater Festival took place. in 1987 and every summer Rethemnian citizens embrace the institution, overwhelming Fortezza.
In addition to theatrical performances, the festival includes music, exhibitions, speeches, all related to the Renaissance or Venetian rule in Rethymnon, a time when the city experienced a special spiritual flourishing.
In addition to the Erofili Theater in Fortezza, some concerts are held in the Rethymno Conservatory located in the Old Town, while all painting exhibitions are held in the Artillery Hall in Fortezza.

FESTIVAL OF WINE AND TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS
Rethymnon's longest-standing institution, the "Festival of Wine and Local Traditional Products", in the last week of May, in the city's Municipal Garden. Its aim is the promotion and promotion of branded, award-winning, Cretan standard products, with Wine as the protagonist, always.
Visitors have the opportunity to learn from the experts about the production process of the available products, their properties, their high quality and the world famous Cretan diet. At the same time, they will be entertained by the events organized with Cretan artists and local traditional music and dance groups.

RETHEMNIOT CARNIVAL
The Rethemniot carnival is the biggest in Crete and one of the biggest in Greece. The climax of the events takes place with the great parade of floats on the last Sunday of the carnival. Now an annual institution, the "Great Treasure Hunt", the favorite game of Rethemnians of all ages, takes place two weeks before the carnival. Its difficulty, which increases every year, has forced them to learn in depth its history and the monuments of the city. The next event that takes place is the feast of Tsiknopeptis which takes place in Platanos (Krini Rimodi) and the little Panagia. The program includes live music for all tastes, appetizers and wine.

KLEDONAS
Klidonas is a Greek custom that is celebrated on the eve and day of Saint John, June 23 and 24, in many parts of Greece and Crete.
On the eve, the unmarried girls bring from the well or spring the "unspoken water", which is put into an earthen pot and after each girl drops an object into it, it is covered with a red cloth and remains all night under the light of the stars.
On St. John's day, in the afternoon, one of the girls pulls out the objects from the vase one by one, which correspond to the "root" of each girl, and another, at the same time, recites random, improvised chants. The mantinada corresponding to the object (root) of each girl is considered to foretell her future.

GIORTI TSIKOUDIAS CELEBRATION
The institution of rakokazan in Crete was instituted by the Ethnoarch Eleftherios Venizelos in 1920 to strengthen the farmers of Crete, in order to have the possibility of producing tsikoudia from the grapes they produced. From then until today, this institution is an occasion for beautiful moments in the areas where the rakokazanas are located, where the feasting, the mandinades and the dancing are well maintained. While the distillation process lasts, friends and relatives gather around the cauldron where a big feast is organized and the new tsikoudia is tasted. The tsikoudia festival takes place at the end of October and the beginning of November.

CRETAN WEDDING
The father and head of the family is responsible for approving the marriage and the future couple must follow his advice but also respect his possible opposing opinion. After the official approval of the father, in the presence of the priest, the betrothal ceremony takes place and, after the dowry agreement has been drawn up, which defines the financial details of the marriage, the date of the sacrament is set. Next comes the "call", where everyone is invited. Until the day of the mystery, relatives and friends send gifts, the so-called "kaniskia" which is a basket with oil, cheese, wine and potatoes. On the eve, everyone helps the "bridesmaids" in carrying the bride's dowries to the groom's house. They are loaded onto decorated horses followed by a procession of relatives and friends, while gunshots and Cretan chants are heard. Those participating in the wedding preparations are offered delicious home-made doubles with honey and the famous Cretan kouloura with the wonderful decoration, which is made only for these occasions. The ceremony starts with a procession from the groom's house accompanied by mandinades and dufeki and ends at the bride's house. There a mandinada sung by a sweet female voice convinces the bride's family to open the door that until then remains closed. After kisses and wishes are exchanged, the ringing of the bell notifies the newlyweds that they must head to the church. After the ceremony, the couple arrives at the groom's house, where the mother-in-law gives the bride a pomegranate to eat, while the bride pours honey at the entrance and breaks a pomegranate, to make the marriage sweet as honey and fruitful as the pomegranate. The feast begins with songs sung by the couple first and continues with dancing and drinking that lasts until the morning.

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
MARCH 25TH (TOURIC LIBRA FLASHING)
OCTOBER 28TH (GREECE-ITALY WAR 1940)
MAY 21ST (BATTLE OF CRETE)
NOVEMBER 8TH (ARKADIUS FLASHING)

Editor: Fotini Anastasopoulou