Festivals...

Sifnos respect the tradition and the customs like the most islands in Cyclades do. The current residents of island inherited them and try to keep them alive. The festivals in the islands are connected with the religion. During the year a certain family called "panigirades" keep the icon of Saint in their house and at the festival they finance the expenses of the feast. The litany of the icon takes place in the central streets of island and afterwards dinner is served for all the people that participated. Traditional food that is served at this feast is chick pie soup that is accompanied with meat and wine. The food is followed with dance singing and local traditional music. Most important festivals are ‘Panagia tou Vounou’ on 24 March, ‘Profiti Ilia’ on 19 July, ‘Agiou Pantelehmonos Xerronhsou’ on 26 July, ‘Agios Ioannis’ on 28 August, ‘Agios Simeon o Stilitis’ on 31 August, ‘Taxiarxh’ on 5 September, ‘Agios Sostis’ on 6 September, ‘Panagias’ on 7 September, ‘Agios Nikitas’ on 15 September, ‘Agios Galatis’ on 5 November, ‘Panagia tou Vounou’ on 21 November and the ‘Analipsh' in Chrissopigi where all residents of Sifnos participate and constitutes leading festival for entire Cyclades.
In Sifnos there are more than 360 churches and monasteries. Most of the days of the year festivals are taking place! Ask the locals if there is a festival the time you are staying on the island. You shall live a unique experience.

Kalanta...

‘Kalanta’ in the old days were singed only New Year’s Eve. The local children mainly compose prayers and songs and they sing them in Christmas and New Year’s Eve. There is a beautiful custom relative with the dance that is said "Dance of Mr. North Wind". It is in religious frames from the season where the persons had the need to propitiate the gods and the elements of nature. This dance propitiates the wind. It takes place the last Sunday of Carnival in the courtyard of church and the priest with the rest of the people danced in disguise.

Pottery...

Pottery possessed and it continues possessing an important share in the economy of Sifnos. Raw materials existed and thus the 19th century and in the beginning of the 20th century pottery boomed. With the byway of years and with the changes of market were created needs for pottery and outside Sifnos and thus the local potters moved to other islands and of course many moved in Athens. In the Municipality of Amaroysio in Athens, in the region Kanatadika, there are a lot of shops with types of ceramics that show the art of potters from Sifnos.

Traditional food...

The residents of Sifnos are cheerful and kind persons and maintain the tradition and the traditional cooking. The locals are revelers and good ‘eaters’ and thus good cooks. The well known chef Nikolaos Tselementes came from Sifnos. The special thing about traditional food of Sifnos is that it is cooked in utensils, which are made of potter’s clay, and are manufactured by the local potters. Traditional food and pastries are ‘revithokeftedes’ (chick pie balls), ‘revithia’ (chick pie soup), the nougat with honey, honey pie, ‘amigdalota’ (made of almond) and the famous ‘Mastelo’ (lamp cooked with dill) in the Easter. Some of these recipes you can find here.