The Cretan Village was buzzing with energy on Saturday night as over 600 attendees gathered for the Pancretan Association of Melbourne’s annual dance, commemorating the 158th anniversary of the Arkadi Holocaust and the heroic self-sacrifice of Crete’s ancestors.

The event paid tribute to the voluntary sacrifice of nearly 1,000 Cretan men and women on November 9, 1866, during a pivotal moment in Cretan history. The commemorations continue on Sunday with a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at Axion Estin.

The event marked one of the most vibrant gatherings in recent memory, according to Antonis Tsourdalakis, as it featured the Janidakis Folklore Group, who travelled from Crete to participate.

A record turnout

During the event,   Tsourdalakis was recognised for his significant contributions to the Cretan diaspora in Australia, described as “a vital link between Crete and Australia.”

“It’s been over 20 years since we’ve seen such an extraordinary turnout. A total of 610 tickets were sold, and around 400 of the attendees were young people. The celebration lasted until 3am,” said Tsourdalakis.

The event welcomed several notable figures, including:

– Bishop Kyriakos, accompanied by priests Christos Dimolianis, Panagiotis Zouboulis, and Panteleimon Laskaris

– Greek Consul General Emmanouil Kakavelakis

– Manolis Mountakis, President of the Cretan Federation of Australia

– Antonis Tsourdalakis, President of the Union of Communities and Parishes

– Manolis Vitetzakis, President of the Cretan Brotherhood of Sydney

– Miltiadis Stamatakos, President of the Cretan Brotherhood of Melbourne

– Argiro Michelakis, President of the Pancretan Association of Melbourne and host of the evening, welcomed the dignitaries

– Christos Janidakis, President of the Janidakis Folklore Group

Throughout the evening, attendees were captivated by performances from the children’s and youth dance groups of the Pancretan Association of Melbourne, adult dance groups from the Cretan Brotherhood and Pancretan Association, The Janidakis Folklore Group from Crete.

The musical program featured artists Kostas Kakoudakis (lyra and vocals), Michalis Petsakis (lute and vocals), Stelios Stamatogiannakis (lute and vocals), Antonis Iliou (guitar).

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