Agia Marina Festival – Exoghi, Ithaca - July 17th 2025

The Agia Marina Festival returned to Exoghi this year after being cancelled last year due to a lack of volunteers. Its comeback was appreciated, as it remains one of the island’s most anticipated traditional events.

This year, cars were parked further down the mountain than ever before, an indication of both attendance and the growing need for better traffic management during the festival. A new band performed the usual Panighiri songs, but with a more traditional sound. All the musicians were clearly well-schooled in Greek music, giving the performance a polished and authentic feel.

During the time I was there, the band didn’t play "Venus on the Mountain Top" or any other Western pop songs — the setlist focused entirely on classic Greek folk music, performed in a highly competent and entertaining way.

Surprisingly, despite the large number of cars, the square beneath the Agia Marina church wasn’t as full as in past years. Still, it was good to have the festival back, continuing a long-standing tradition in the village.

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