3rd Hamezi Festival
14-18 July 2025

After we’ve introduced ourselves, it’s time to get to know each other...

The Hamezi Festival is a series of seminars on music and traditional Cretan arts that is organized every summer in Hamezi, Sitia, by the Cultural Association of Hamezi, the village's residents, and friends from surrounding areas. The common driving force for everyone is the love for the artistic tradition of the place.

The seminars are hosted in the courtyards of our homes, the churchyards, and other spaces around the village. During the days of the festival, Hamezi is filled with music. Although it takes place in an open space, the seminar is a private moment between students and the instructor. It is not open to the public. As the organizers of the festival, we are committed to preserving the integrity of the lesson process, which is our central focus.

The gatherings, the socializing in the village’s cafés at the end of each day, is the joyful result of bringing together musicians from different geographical backgrounds. It is a process that happens spontaneously through our shared love for music. The café is the community meeting point: it is where we learned to share, and it is where we share what we’ve learned. The music of our land was born and nurtured in these meeting places. For us at the festival, friendship and fun are a joy, but it’s important to note that they are not the main goal.

In our small village, which we "stretch" as much as we can to host students and teachers, additional visitors may leave the festival disappointed, as it’s possible they will not find a place to eat or drink during the seminar days.

That’s why, during the Festival, we organize two events open to the public: a concert in the courtyard of the Afenti Christou church and the closing celebration at the school, where the seminar presentations take place. Our music smells like our bread, and our bread is where our music is heard. We look forward to meeting again this year, under the roof of this virtue.

With dedication and love,

The Organizing Team of the Hamezi Festival.