Friendship & Tradition Festival (Maritsa, Rhodes)

The Friendship and Tradition Festival in Chalki is a celebration of culture, music, and human connection—an opportunity to encounter the places and people with whom Chalki shares bonds of friendship and good neighborliness. So this year, for the fourth time, residents and visitors are gathering in Chalki to share sounds, dances, and flavors that bridge the past with the present. Traditional ensembles, musicians, and dancers create a colorful mosaic of friendship and creativity. The festival showcases the richness of our cultural heritage and highlights Chalki as an open, welcoming, and vibrant island, where tradition meets contemporary artistic expression.

In 2026, the 4th Festival of Friendship & Tradition welcomes Maritsa, Rhodes, as its first guest. Maritsa, Rhodes, is a village with a long agricultural tradition, known for its olive trees, vineyards, and famous festivals, particularly that of Agia Paraskevi. The residents keep folk traditions alive, such as carnival dances and traditional serenades, maintaining a strong sense of local identity. Many people from Chalkis settled in Rhodes after the war, and quite a few found shelter or work in Maritsa, especially in agricultural jobs and small-scale crafts. Family ties, in-law relationships, and a shared social life developed, resulting in Maritsa becoming a “second village” within Rhodes for many families from Chalki, maintaining warm relationships and mutual support to this day.