Coming up from the 23rd to the 29th of August, the village of Ano Asites will hold its annual festival. The Village of Colors Festival, like past festivals, will host many scheduled events taking place in celebration of Saint John (Agios Ioannis).
This year’s festival will be a unique experience because of an artistic cooperation with the greater Heraklion Municipality. Heraklion’s Street Art Festival will now extend into one of Crete’s most picturesque villages in this hills of the prefecture beneath Mr. Psilorites.
The village has been chosen to exhibit the theme “The Village of Colors” by the municipality. Unlike other village participants, street art will be far more flexible. Already, many traditional homes have been painted in bright colors, and three amazing new murals have been added.
The Ano Asites Cultural Association, in collaboration with the Municipality of Heraklion and the DKEI, under the artistic supervision of artist Mathew Halpin, has literally transformed this traditional village.
At this year’s Ano Asites Festival a wide variety of activities welcoming visitors to celebrate one of the regions most sacred events. During the day nature walks to the beautiful Gorge of St. Antonios will be conducted. Guided strolls through the narrow streets of the old village will give visitors the history and traditions.
In addition, a photographic exhibition by the Hellenic Photographic Society of Crete will also take place in the local Folk Art Museum. Visitors can find out more about the village and about the many activities and sites there via this link.
Ano and Kato Asites are situated beneath Mount Ida, at an elevation of 480m and 450m. Only 23 km from the capital in Heraklion, the picturesque little town is made up of inhabitants who are mostly farmers (olives and vineyards), and animal raisers (mostly goats and sheep).
The town is noted for the Byzantine church of St. Antonios, as well as for its Roman ruins, an ancient cemetery, amazing Agios Antonios Gorge, and the rest of its natural landscape.
Admission to the festival is free.
