Ikaria is famous for it's Panigiri ! What is a Panigiri you ask it's a festival put on by the Village, each one being unique in its own way just as Ikaria is different and unique from her sister Islands. Panigiri involves eating, drinking, dancing, socializing, raffles, prizes.
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It's not for the faint heart, it begins after dusk and some start in morning and go on well into the next day. 100% of the money raised at the festival goes to village that puts on the festival.The funds are used to repair roads, churches, schools,or if a local needs financial help, it is voted on and decided by the villagers where it is most needed. All who work the festival and cook are volunteers.
Wild goat is on the menu you pay about $40.00 kilo a brown paper is spread out on the tables and you dive in, donated local red wine flows all night, oh I forgot to mention goat broth, one Ikariote mans the vat of goat broth, filling everyone's soup bowls. 
Usually a Church is located in the the center of the festivities and you can see people all night going in and out of their church, to offer up a prayer, light a candle for a loved one, or just to be close to God. Religion is a very important part of their day to day life.
Guess who won the raffle?
It's not for the faint heart, it begins after dusk and some start in morning and go on well into the next day. 100% of the money raised at the festival goes to village that puts on the festival.The funds are used to repair roads, churches, schools,or if a local needs financial help, it is voted on and decided by the villagers where it is most needed. All who work the festival and cook are volunteers.
Serving up the broth
Goat Broth Vat full of Goat Broth
On August 15th The most well attended Panigiri held in the village of Laggada with over 3000 people coming from all over Greece. This Panigiri is held high in the mountains, the festival begins in the morning and goes all day and into the next, the same band will play the entire time with no breaks in the music, the guy with the mandolin will play, then the guy with the violin will take over Then a instrument called a Pipiza made out of goat skins (the Greeks version of a bagpipe ) takes over so on and so on.
Bazooki Instrument
There are Panigiri all over the island this day to celebrate Mother Mary's Name day. We opted out of the large celebration in Laggada to go to a quaint village Panigiri.
The setting was among plantain trees, lit lanterns, stone walls, wooden benches and tables.
Our Group
Panigiri are attended and enjoyed by all age groups.
Rings of traditional dancers young and old get bigger and bigger as the night wears on.
After 8 hours of singing, dancing, eating and socializing it's time for us to go home.
I was struck by 2 things
1st by how each village take matters into its own hand to raise and spend money, there is a real
Lack of politics here and more a sense of community coming together, there is no paid
Government the people manage their own money and do it quite well.
Secondly
It is truely amazing for me to see every man, woman, and child come together singing and
Dancing to traditional music, their heads are thrown back with true bliss on their faces, the
Young dancing with the old ,holding hands or their arms wrapped around each other.
Maybe this connection is another reason why they live long and well. Who would want to
Leave this party!
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