The Night of the Balloons
In beautiful Leonidio, Holy Saturday (just before Orthodox Easter) is best known as the Night of the Balloons. After the priest sings the Christ is Risen hymn in each of the five parishes of the city, the spectacle for locals and visitors is unique, since the starry sky fills with the light and colors of hundreds of small improvised hot air balloons, homemade with olive oil and petroleum! The glow of the balloons is visible from many of the surrounding areas as the spring breeze carries the shining balloons far away.... According to the oldest residents, this custom dates back to 1910-1915.
