Rethymnon Wine Festival

For years, the Touring Club of Rethymnon, in collaboration with the Municipality of Rethymnon, organised the Rethymnon Wine Festival – a 2-week celebration of Cretan wine, music and dance. An entrance fee was charged, you bought a carafe and some glasses, and you could drink as much wine as you wanted, whilst listening to some very good Cretan music and watching some fantastic dancing.

For several different kinds of reasons, over the last years, the wine festival did not take place every year.

In 2008 the municipality of Rethymnon took the decision to stop organising the Wine Festival, at least in the format that we got to know it.

In 2009 the Wine Festival was re-introduced, but with a complete new identity and format. The wine festival still takes place in the Municipal Park

The 2011 programme:

Saturday 23rd

19.30-20.30: kid's entertainment
20.00-21.00: accoustic set with saxophonist Antonis Hantoumakis
21.00-21.30: traditional Cretan music and dance by the Varkoforon group
21.30-23.30: concert with Dionysos Tsaknis
20.00-23.00: opportunity for wine tasting by members of the Cretan Wine Network

Sunday 24th

19.30-20.30: kid's entertainment
20.30-21.00: traditional dances from Thraki by the dance group of the Lykeio Ellinidon Rethymnon
21.00-21.30: cooking session with chef Dimitris Skarmoutsos
21.30-22.00: traditional dances from Crete by the dance group of the Lykeio Ellinidon Rethymnon
22.00-23.30: concert with Panos Mouzourakis
20.00-23.00: opportunity for wine tasting by members of the Cretan Wine Network

Monday 25th

19.30-20.30: kid's entertainment
20.30-21.30: culinary delights by members of the Chefs Association
21.30-22.30: Cretan evening with the dance group Erofili and music by Nikos Synolakis
22.30-23.30: Rock concert with ARAPAO

Tuesday 26th

19.30-20.30: kid's entertainment
20.30-21.00: Cretan traditional music with the band Kyklos and dance by the group Rizes tis Kritis
21.00-22.00: Dance evening with the participation of Rethymnon dance schools
22.30-23.30: Jazz concert with CANEA 6

Wednesday 27th

19.30-20.30: kid's entertainment
20.00-20.30: Music (laouto, lyra) with students and teachers from the Kentro Neon Rethymnon
20.30-21.30: "Raki - Cretan Spirit." Renowned photographer Andreas Smaragdis presents the story of the Cretan Raki through his award-winning photographs.
22.30-23.30: Concert with Ypogeia Revmata
21.00-23.00: Raki tasting provided by Cretan distillers

Thursday 28th

19.30-20.30: kid's entertainment
20.30-21.00: Cretan music and dance by the group Arkadi
21.15-22.15: Award ceremony for Manolis Stavrakakis, professor at the Agricultural University of Athens, for his work for the Greek wine industry in general and specifically for his contribution to the development of this industry on Crete. This is followed by a discussion by amateur wine-produces, with the opportunity to taste their wines.
22.15-23.30: Cretan folk songs with Antonis Fragakis, Giorgis Zacharioudakis, Dimitris Sideris, Stelios Sykakis and Giannis