Chestnut Festival 2025

Traditional autumn harvest celebration in mountain villages featuring roasted chestnuts, local wine, honey, raki, folk music, and dancing.

Chestnut Festival 2025 in Crete is a beloved autumn tradition centered around the chestnut groves of western Crete, with the biggest celebrations held in the Kissamos region’s mountain villages of Elos, Vlatos, and Limni. For 2025, trusted event roundups indicate a mid to late October window, with multiple sources pointing to the weekend of October 19–21 as the target timeframe, while emphasizing that exact dates are typically confirmed by the Municipality of Kissamos closer to the month based on harvest and weather conditions. Recent schedules from 2023 and 2024 show the Kissamos Chestnut Festival running as a three-day series that rotates venues across Limni, Vlatos, and Elos on a Friday–Sunday program in the last third of October, a pattern that informs planning for 2025.

What it is

The Chestnut Festival is a village-hosted celebration of the chestnut harvest. It blends live Cretan music, traditional dance, culinary demos, and tastings of roasted and boiled chestnuts, alongside an open-air market of local products and seasonal dishes. The heart of the festivities takes place in Elos’ square on Sunday, where the grand celebration features speeches, a rizitiko folk song performance, children’s theater, and an all-day glenti with bands and dance troupes, while Friday and Saturday events in Limni and Vlatos often focus on culinary workshops, documentary screenings, and intimate concerts. The free, community-led format welcomes both locals and visitors to share in the harvest and hospitality of the Inachori villages.

When it happens

• Seasonal window: Late October into early November, tied to the chestnut harvest; Crete event guides consistently note late October as the prime period, with dates announced close to the season.
• 2023–2024 pattern: The festival ran as a three-day program on Oct 27–29, 2023, and Oct 25–27, 2024, rotating through Vlatos, Limni, and Elos, which illustrates how organizers schedule a Friday–Sunday arc in the final third of October.
• 2025 outlook: Regional event listings flag Oct 19–21, 2025, as the expected weekend, with the standard caveat that the Municipality of Kissamos will finalize and publish the official program as harvest timing is confirmed.

Where to go

• Elos: Sunday’s grand celebration in Elos Square is the culmination, with roasted chestnuts, music, dance, and local food stretching through the afternoon; Elos sits inland from Kissamos on the scenic route toward Elafonisi.
• Vlatos: Often hosts Friday evening programming such as documentary screenings or intimate concerts at the parish center, setting a reflective tone before the weekend’s big feast.
• Limni: Typically the site of Saturday culinary demos such as “creative recipes with chestnuts,” tastings, and live music in the former primary school courtyard.
• Kissamos region: The festival is organized by the Municipality of Kissamos with village communities and cultural associations, and it is sometimes referred to as the “Inachori Chestnut Festival” after the broader area that encompasses these villages.

2025 program expectations

While the final 2025 schedule will publish in October, recent official programs provide a reliable blueprint:

• Friday evening: Opening event in Vlatos or Limni featuring a cultural documentary, followed by a small-scale concert.
• Saturday evening: Chef-led “creative chestnut recipes” demonstration with tasting, then a live music set and social dancing.
• Sunday from late morning: Grand celebration in Elos Square with welcome speeches, a short lecture on chestnut nutrition or heritage, rizitiko singing, children’s theater, and an all-day glenti with bands, dancing groups, local product market, and continuous roasted chestnut service.

Why it matters

The Chestnut Festival sustains a living rural tradition while supporting small producers. It shines a light on Cretan mountain culture and seasonal foods that are easy to miss on the coast. The weekend format invites slow travel: wander chestnut groves, linger over village meze, and join a circle dance as the band picks up. For Elos and the Inachori villages, the event brings families home and introduces visitors to the warmth, flavors, and music of western Crete’s highlands.

Travel planning

• Base in Kissamos or Chania: Kissamos offers a shorter drive to Elos, Vlatos, and Limni; Chania Old Town is a great coastal base with a 60–90 minute inland drive depending on the village.
• Driving: Roads to Elos are paved but winding; designate a sober driver if tasting wine or tsikoudia. Parking is in village lots or roadside areas near the squares; arrive early on Sunday.
• What to bring: Cash for stalls, a light jacket for mountain breezes, comfortable shoes for cobbled squares, and a reusable bag for local products.
• Pair with sights: Combine with a quiet morning at Elafonisi or Kedrodasos if weather allows, then head uphill for the afternoon celebration in Elos; autumn light in the chestnut groves is beautiful for photos.
• Lodging tip: Rural stays near Elos, Vlatos, or Milia Mountain Retreat make a memorable weekend and place travelers within a short drive of all three venues.

What to eat and drink

• Chestnuts: Roasted over braziers and passed out hot; look for boiled chestnuts, chestnut honey confections, and savory dishes like pork with chestnuts in village tavernas.
• Meze and sweets: Dakos, graviera, wild greens pies, and spoon sweets complement the tastings; local product tables stock olive oil, herbs, and cheeses.
• Drinks: House wine and tsikoudia flow, especially on Sunday; sip slowly and pair with food. Festival demos sometimes include creative pairings or modern chestnut recipes by visiting chefs.

Accessibility and atmosphere

Village streets become pedestrian-friendly social spaces during the festival. The atmosphere is family-first and intergenerational, with schoolchildren performing and elders leading dances. Visitors are welcomed as neighbors; a simple “efharistó” goes far at the tasting braziers. These are real community events rather than staged tourist shows, which is precisely their charm.

Verified details at a glance

• Event: Chestnut Festival, Kissamos region (Elos, Vlatos, Limni).
• 2025 target dates: Weekend window in mid to late October; listings indicate Oct 19–21 as expected, subject to official municipal confirmation.
• 2023–2024 precedent: Oct 27–29, 2023, and Oct 25–27, 2024, with Friday at Vlatos/Limni, Saturday at Limni/Vlatos, Sunday grand celebration at Elos.
• Highlights: Roasted chestnuts, culinary demos, live Cretan music, traditional dances, kids’ theater, and an open-air market of local products.
• Organizer: Municipality of Kissamos with the communities of Elos and Vlatos and cultural associations “Anagennisi” and “Neoi Orizontes,” plus Ennia Choria SA development company.

Mark the calendar for mid to late October and plan a weekend in western Crete’s chestnut country. Keep an eye on the Municipality of Kissamos announcements as the harvest nears, then head for Vlatos and Limni on Friday and Saturday nights before joining the grand feast in Elos on Sunday. Come hungry for roasted chestnuts, ready to dance to live lyra and laouto, and open to the neighborly warmth that makes this festival one of Crete’s sweetest fall traditions.