From September 5 to 13, weaving art, women’s creation and intangible cultural heritage meet theater, music and visual arts – Free admission to all activities
The 2nd Anyfantos Festival returns to Anogia from September 5 to 13, 2026, as part of the “Women” Parallel Action of the Crete Festival, aspiring to develop into a stable cultural institution with the weaving tradition and the female creator as a point of reference.
This year’s event was presented in the Region of Crete, with the participation of the Deputy Regional Governor for Culture and Equality, Georgia Milaki, the Mayor of Anogeia, Socrates Kefalogiannis, the Festival’s Concept and Artistic Director, Niki Xylouris, and the Scientific Director of Anogeia Weaving House – Anogeia Weaving Center, Christina Tripodianaki.
From tradition to contemporary artistic creation
At the heart of the Festival is the art of weaving as a living part of the cultural identity of Anogia. Weaving is approached not only as a traditional technique, but as a language of memory, knowledge and collective experience that is passed down from generation to generation.
At the same time, special emphasis is placed on the timeless contribution of women to the shaping and preservation of culture. Women’s stories, experiences and techniques meet contemporary art forms, creating new narratives around cultural heritage.
The program includes theatrical performances and lectures, musical and visual activities, screenings, workshops and open discussions.
A new cultural institution for Anogia
As pointed out by the Mayor of Anogia, Socrates Kefalogiannis, already from its second organization, the Festival shows that it can develop into an annual cultural event for Anogia and become yet another reason to visit Crete.
For her part, artistic director Niki Xylouri noted that “Anyfantou”, the woman who weaves, functions as a metaphor for creation itself, while the goal is not a simple return to the past, but rather its use as a starting point for something new.
Deputy Regional Governor for Culture and Equality Georgia Milaki emphasized the connection between memory and tradition with contemporary artistic expression, expressing the expectation that the Festival will be established as an institution for Anogia and Crete as a whole.
From weaving to “Iphigenia in Aulis”
The curtain opens on Saturday, September 5 with the participatory embroidery and weaving workshop on photography “Reweaving Memory.” The theatrical lectern “Procne, Tiresias, Philomela – A Story of Metamorphosis” and the musical “Sonnet to the Stars” will be presented on the same day.
On September 6, a theater workshop with Maria Skoulas will take place and the art exhibition “Beyond the Loom” will be inaugurated at the Anogeia Weaving Center, which will last until September 13.
On September 11, the performance “The Old Women Gathering Nettles” will follow, while on September 12, the Zominthos Archaeological Site will host Euripides’ “Iphigenia at Aulis”, directed by Savvas Stroumpos.
The Festival concludes on September 13 with a theater workshop by the group “Zero Point” and the screening of the documentary “The Weavers” by Dimitris Koutsiambasakou, which will be followed by an open discussion in the presence of the director.
Admission is free to all activities, while reservations are required for some events and workshops.
Source: tourismtoday.gr