FESTIVALS
GENERAL
The festival, as in’ throughout Greece, so in Pelion is the place to mark the feast of a saint – Prostate, local residents gathered, tighten the bonds of community and manifested glentontas.
The festival, "Pangyr '" as they call the Pelion, is a very old institution for villages. It is the center of annual social events, after their weddings and christenings. This annual event is always in the village square, usually summer to help weather, beneath the shadows of the trees and the sounds of musical instruments and songs. In "pangyr '' will go all the villagers with" the good ". Young and old. There you go kids, the VLDL and Dates, are engaged to, The newlyweds, the elders. There will be marriages and, but 'closed' and jobs. Only those who are grieving do not go. Would enjoy the feast, will eat and drink, will dance, be seen between the villagers and ultimately through’ the party will forget the sufferings of life.
Rich cultural events and festivals organized in the municipality, such as the feasts of Saints Anargyri, George Vlassis, Lawrence, Apostle of Neou.I cherry feast to St. Lawrence in June.
LECHONITIKA THE FESTIVALS
The Upper Lechonia, the previous year (early 20thcentury until after the Second’ World War I) was a "hub" for surrounding villages because of the train. It was and is certainly suburb of Volos with gardens and flowers. So many came to drosolousta Lechonia to have fun at festivals, since transportation was assured. The crowd was gathered much and cafes-filled village shops. Each shop has its own orchestra, the "troupe", who played without microphone installations.
Three festivals were in Upper Lechonia:
- The first in 2 May, day of the Translation of the relics of St. Athanasius. He had a lot of people because overnight (1theΜαϊου) with vigil, people who had come out for the celebration of May Day.
- The second on 21 May-Saints Constantine and Helen on the occasion of the inauguration of the Temple.
- The third oldest and most were and are the 1theΙουλίου, the Saints Anargiri, celebrating chapel situated above the village. It lasted three days.
The celebrations began immediately after church. The square was filled men, Women and children. The great grape drank and ate small sweet delights or "vanilla submarine". The band played until late in the afternoon. Breakfast musical feast was not about dancing. It was a promenade that seems to be fair. The evening began but again normally all-night revelry lasted until morning. The launch took place at dusk and folk musical instruments. The zournas (= Flute) and tabor playing local purposes and lalousan to midnight. The dance was a general "syrtos", where everyone danced around the square. Immediately after work caught troupe of musicians, playing originally "European" songs (tango, Waltz etc.) and after various municipal. The morning, the orchestra played "zoumpekies", "Karsilamades" and "tsiftetelia". Then they danced the "devotee". Today the festivities are "frayed", but older who lived with those remembered with nostalgia.
SONGS OF PELION
Pelion, the mountain of Centaurs and Jason is a place of ancient traditions, dwelling gods, demigods and heroes, Armatolon base and thieves. It has all the conditions, then, to develop the DimotikoTragoudi. This is influenced by continental, the moraitiki, Roumeli and the island tradition.
The folk songs of Pelion divided into dancing, songs of the panel (table), in worship and carols. There are even songs historically referring to specific people and events of our local history, from’ the year of the great Revolution (1821). Such is: Captain Koutmani ", the "City Zagouras", the "Stefou" etc..
The dasoskepasta side of Pelion, had the privilege to hide inside them and thieves in ARMATOLON’ Throughout the Turkish slavery. So bloomed here too kleftiko folk song.
Here's cycle of love songs, that includes songs about nature, the youth, Love. Developed and are in a natural wonder, mesh aroma and freshness of the beautiful mountain. Consist of non 15syllava, rhyming or not, extensively or simply couplets Short Songs. These love songs with lyrics iambic anomoiokataliktous reminiscent dramatic ballads, and sung as wedding Skates 'Lucifer', "The dark" etc.. In the cycle of songs of exile and suffering depicted the sorrows of xenitemou and most importantly, the homecoming. "I want to travel", "The Zagorian ships" etc..
Here in Pelion, as in other parts of Greece encounters and laments, songs called when lost loved. The personification of Death, is a common means of expression.
End, We and devotional songs, usually with religious matters or interpretations of metaphysical phenomena. Such is the popular carols, the Barr, the praises, the good evening etc.. generally Pelion folk songs and dances as, express feelings, the sorrows and yearnings of our compatriots.
DANCES OF PELION
Researchers traditional dances are very careful in the wording of views around’ Pelion their dances, because research is difficult. Despite the difficulty, yet, have separated Pelion in four geographical areas, each having its own cultural traits.
The first includes the villages of northern Pelion (Cherry, Channels, Veneto, Tile) but Mavrovouni (mountain between Kissavos and Pelion). The dances performed songs with the same dancers.
The second area is the western, central and eastern Pelion, they fall and Lechonia. Here is the master Pelioritic Sirtos accompanied by clarinets and tabor.
The third area is the southern villages of Pelion (Argalasti, Promiri, Trikeri especially Lafkos). Lafkos has a very rich musical tradition.
The "troupes" of arriving in Pelion. Even in lechonitika played festivals.
