The Wine Festival is one of the top festivities in the
Karditsa District. This celebration has become an institution and a cultural
event of major radiance.
It came into being in the 1960s as the Messenikolas Grape and Wine Fair.
The venue was the village square and took place in the beginning of September
each year. The fair was also boosted by the Karditsa Agricultural Bureau. At
the fair there was also an exhibition of agricultural products, the best of
which were awarded. This event fell gradually into inaction for several years
until 1984 when it was anew put into action by a decision of the then the
Village Hall Council.
The event now takes place a few days before 15 of
August and is celebrated in connection with the village church fair (The
Ascension of the Madonna).
The venue of the event is a specially landscaped
terrain, a short distance off the village, amidst a cool and deep green forest,
an idyllic place at the location Kastanies
(Chestnut Trees).
The place offers a spacious car park and is equipped
with the necessary installations to accommodate about 1500 people. There is
also a specially built cellar to keep the wines cool during the feast, when the
wine flows plenty and free of charge. The visitor can also enjoy a steak, meat delicacies
or a cup of coffee at the grill restaurant cum café existing there.
During the celebration one can listen to famous
singers invited for this purpose and at the same time revel at a night long dancing
shindig to the accompaniment of local musical bands.
During these days there is also a rich artistic
program containing various agricultural, forest, folklore, book, photo and
painting exhibitions. There are also meetings about vines and wines.
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