One of the most interesting culinary festivals in Crete takes place every spring in Fodele, celebrating the region’s most distinguished product: oranges! Taste unique Cretan recipes, experience a local feast with traditional music and dances, kid-friendly activities, an open-air market, and be amazed by the variety of ways to enjoy oranges in this fun festival, ideal for the whole family!

Take a walk around Fodele and you will realize that orange groves dominate the area, together with other citrus trees. Immerse yourselves in the lush landscape full of pleasant scents, bright colors mirroring the Cretan sunshine, and the tempting fruit of the land. Try the region’s oranges and discover why Fodele oranges are so famous and praised that the locals decided to establish a festival to honor them.

There is no fixed date for the Orange Festival, but it usually takes place every year in around mid-March or early April. This year, the Orange festival will take place on Sunday, April 7, 2019.

The festival takes place in the main square of Fodele village and lasts from noon until late in the evening. An open-air market is set under the shade of plane trees and next to the river, where you can try orange-based dishes and products (sweets, marmalades, cookies, cakes, juices and more) prepared by local women. The market also features many other Cretan artisanal products.

The local stage around the village taverns always hosts live Cretan music and dances so you can enjoy a traditional Cretan meal while watching a folklore performance. Plus, the program usually includes activities for kids, art exhibitions, theatrical performances, workshops and more.

Image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay