Karavitiko Symposium. 1970's.

Left hand side,

Top to bottom:

Beryl Cassimatis (nee, Palmer)
Angie (Tzortzo)Poulos (nee, Coroneos)
Helen Zantes (nee, Levantis)
Aryiro (Tzortzo)Poulos, (nee, Aloizios).

Left hand side:

Con Dimitri (Tzortzo)Poulos
Janice Tzortzo)Poulos, (nee, Garner)
George Anastassios Levantis
Harry Dimitri (Tzortzo)Poulos, (obscured).

Standing, right:

James Con (Tzortzo)Poulos

During this era, Karavitika were very well attended, attracting more than 300 people.

Karavitiko history

The first Karavitoko Symposium was instigated in 1967. It has been conducted every year since. The Symposium was designed to perpetuate the enormous panayiri that was held annually in Karavas to celebrate the name day of the patron saint of the village - Ayios Haralambos.

For an extensive background history of the Karavitiko Symposium see:
http://www.kythera-family.net/index.php?nav=97-26&cid=14&did=5968&pageflip=1

A formal luncheon or dinner is organised for the first Sunday after Ayios Haralambos's feast day. The Symposium organisers lay claim to the fact that "..we are the only Kytherian village group anywhere in the world who have managed to maintain this tradition in this formal manner". Are there other village groups in the world who also formally celebrate the feast day of their patron saint in this way?

Initially profits from the function were sent back to Karavas to keep the Church of Ayios Haralambos in good order.