The Greek Panigiri – Celebrate Greek-Style
“The Celebration” – Illustration by Bill Papas – Papasart.com
During the summer months, all over Greece, from the tiniest of churches in the tiniest of villages, to the largest of cathedrals in the towns, Greeks keep a centuries old tradition alive; a tradition of celebrating the Name Day of the town’s main Saint; the “Panigiri”.
This jolly affair, with street markets, food vendors, and, in the evening, a gathering, usually in the village square, or any spare bit of land large enough, tables and chairs are set up, ready for a real “Glendi”, which, in English, more or less means having a right knees up!
The aroma of roast sucking pig, (Whole pigs have been slowly roasting all day) wafts through the air, plastic buckets, filled with ice, hold cans of beer galore, but, the main attraction of the evening, the band!
Roast pork – The “Paniri pig” !
As night falls, tables fill, the band tunes up, roast pork is served in paper, eaten with fingers, the beer drunk from cans or paper cups.
As more and more beer and wine is consumed, the merrier and merrier thing become.
People are handing song requests to the band, which consists of a singer or two, bouzouki, bongo- like drums and the ‘Piece de resistance’ the clarinet, money is plastered onto the singer’s forehead, the higher the denomination of the note, the sooner you will hear your song!
Everyone is up and dancing to the deafening sound of the clarinet, the only other thing to be heard is the occasional ‘opa’ from the wild dancers; it is a sight to be seen…and heard!
Panigiri at Arethoussa, Ikaria island- Photo; aegeanpan.com
These celebrations continue all through the night into the early hours of the morning; you are not very happy if you happen to live near the area where all this is going on!
There are many a sore head the next morning!
These shenanigans are the highlight of the festival, the “leading up to it”, so to speak, has been going on all day!
There are rows of market stalls, selling anything imaginable, from wellington boots to decorative candles, from pots and pans to underwear (usually in enormous sizes!).
And then there’s the mouth watering street food; souvlaki and giros of course, and mountains of delicious “Loukoumades”; fried doughnut balls, drenched in pure Greek honey and dredged with ground cinnamon.
Street market, “Panigiri day”, Loutraki
Long live Britain…bought in Greece! – Panigiri Loutraki
Nightwear, and underwear, sizes for everyone! – Loutraki Panigiri
Every year there are the Russians with their ‘Brocante’, don’t think the word antiques really fits the bill, vintage maybe.
These are my favourite stalls, I could browse for hours.
Any old iron? – Panagiri Loutraki
Brocante – Panigiri – Loutraki
The two crystal and silver decanters at the back looked very interesting!
Tiffany style glass and interesting porcelain – at the Panigiri, Loutraki
Bits and bobs
Russian wares – Panigiri Loutraki
The nuns from the local Monastery with their honey and healing herbs – Panigiri Loutraki
Handmade leather sandals.
Panigiri Loutraki
There is always food, souvlaki, corn on the cob, loukoumades and cold drinks galore.
Souvlaki – Panigiri Loutraki
Loukoumades; – fried doughnut balls, drenched in pure Greek honey and dredged with ground cinnamon – Panigiri Loutraki
This year I took our Granddaughter Melina, she loved it, the word “panigiri” (the name of feasts and festivals in general) must sound to her like the word for Paris, “Parisi “, as she told everyone; Yiayia (Grandma) was taking her to Paris…I wish!
This reminds me of my friend’s son George, telling me he was going on holiday to kung fu!
“Are you really George?”….he was going to Corfu!
Sweet Melina was as good as gold and didn’t ask for everything in sight, like my two children used to do, hmm, does that mean I had spoilt them?
Papou (Grandpa) bought her a balloon and two sweet battery-operated toys, a dog and a rabbit; she had a great time making them kiss!
Mel at the Panigir, Loutraki
Kiss kiss
See, I told you that the underwear always seems to be size XL !
I noticed this year that the vendors of fake designer handbags were not around, they are usually out in force.
Maybe they were there another day; maybe the police had been making their rounds!
(This picture is from last year).
Bags- Fake – Panigiri – Loutraki
And no, I did not buy my bag here!
Thinking about the” Panigiri Pig”
We enjoyed our day at the Loutraki Panigiri, I have never missed one yet!
It seems to become smaller every year, is this because of the financial crisis here in Greece or is the tradition slowly dying out, I hope not the latter.
Eating candy floss at my first ever visit to a panigiri
We bought our roast pork…”The panigiri pig” and will be eating it all week, last night I had a pork sandwich and today we had it cold with salad and homemade tzatziki, still some left, it’s like the Christmas turkey!
Panigiri pig sandwich
Panagia Giatrissa ( Virgin Mary The Healer) all trimmed up for the Panigiri festival.
September 7th is the feast day of our local church, Panagia Giatrissa (Virgin Mary the Healer) Loutraki.
The icon of The Virgin Mary paraded through the town in the evening, lead by Father Nikos, carried by the Poseidon handball team of Loutraki.
The icon of the Virgin Mary passing through the town center – Panigiri Loutraki
We will be there again next year, weather permitting!
The saying goes, here in Loutraki; it always, but always rains on the day of the Loutraki Panigiri, and it usually does!
