As the crowds thinbed a little, waitering staff finally got a breather before the Die Hards all headed to Spavento to bring in the dawn.  Officially the party ended at 7am when the staff changed over shifts and the breakfast crew rolled up.

In the olden days, when there were few restaurants and maybe just one village Kafenion, the Panighiri was the event of the year. In those days, people only attended the Panighiri held in their village.  No mopeds or 2 cars to every family then, so it was a huge occasion for the communities to meet, eat and enjoy themselves after a year of working hard and living modestly.  The Panighiri is a Feast for a Saints Day and the Feast followed a day of religious service in the local church, as it does today. Of course the Festivals have lost much of their quaint charm of the old days, but they still manage to excite the Ithacan community and visitors  to the island. Where else in the world could you  party with your Municipality for the entire Summer.

For the night of the Panighiri, many yachts sailed into the harbour.  The sound of Summer with masts clanking in the wind and the full moon reflecting of the water in the bay, music all around and the laughter of a happy crowd.

As is usual, when the band slows down, those who want to continue to party, head to Spavento Bar.  Why does Yiorgos look so surpised?

Schools' out and all the young, studying elsewhere have returned to the island to be with their families for the Summer on Ithaca. Friends meet up again after many months and sometimes years.

At 2am Kioni was still brimming over with people enjoying the Panighiri and it looked like it would never end.  There was a sense this party would last til dawn unless the band keeled over from exhaustion.

Whilst walking around the crowd there were accents and languages from all over the world echoing through the little harbour village of Kioni. Visitors from Italy, France, Germany, Australia, South Africa, the UK, the US, Brazil, Spain, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Mainland Greece, Peloponnese, the Aegean Islands  and Asia. From Vathy there was Stavros from Delas, Nikos from Drosia, Christina from Alpha Cars  and many more.

Ithakis dancing locals of old, champions of the Panighiri,  steal the spotlight and show everyone how it's really done. 

Mythos and Avra Restaurants were brimming over with patrons, and of course Mentor Bar and Spavento Bar were gassing stations for those who needed a little air in their tyres before they headed back to the pack of the Kioni Panighiri. The band sounds better each time they play As they become more endeared in the hearts of the community, they let loose with some not so Greek rhythms during the Tsifteli and got away with it.

The Aussies and South Africans turned out in force and partied hard as they do at every Panighiri. Prizes were won and there was plenty of food and wine to keep everyone happy.

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From Stavros Maki and Maria closed up shop at Margarita and headed to Kioni, so did Niko from Spilia Apartments, Kapote on the Grill at Avra in Kioni even put down his tongs and had a dance.

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Those expected to work the next day began to leave around 3 am to make their way up the hill out of Kioni towards where they have parked their cars. The long line of break lights fade into the distant dark.