Discover Mastic Tears Festival

In short: The Chios Mastiha Festival puts the island's most famous product — Chios natural mastic, "the tears of Chios" — in the spotlight. It runs across the summer, from June and peaking in August, with cultural events in Chios town, Kampos and the mastic villages: music, dance, tastings, harvest demonstrations, exhibitions and more.

When does the Mastiha Festival take place?

The festival is a summer event: it kicks off in June and peaks in August, when the picturesque Mastichochoria villages come alive with music, dance and delicious aromas. Cultural projects and events take place in Chios town and Kampos as well as in the mastic villages. Exact dates and the line-up change each year, so check the official events programme before you travel.

What is the Mastiha Festival?

The festival aims to promote the island's identity and its connection to the local culture of Chios natural mastic. Alongside music, theatre, dance and gastronomy, it includes film screenings, exhibitions of traditional Chios products and educational activities that celebrate the island's culture, environment and unique mastic villages. Many events are organised together with the local cultural associations of the mastic villages.

Programme highlights

The programme changes each year, but typical highlights include:

• the Mastiha Fest in the village of Elata, dedicated to mastic
• the Souma Fest (a traditional local spirit) in Agios Georgios Sykousis
• the August full-moon concert at the idyllic archaeological site of Emporios — one of the festival's signature evenings
• photography exhibitions in the Municipal Gallery of Chios, old mansions and alternative venues
• film screenings and exhibitions of traditional Chios products and flavours

Witness the mastic harvest

One of the festival's highlights is the chance to see the mastic harvest firsthand. Skilled farmers demonstrate how the resin is carefully extracted from the mastic trees, explaining traditional techniques passed down through generations — a window into the labour behind every tear and the role of mastic in the local economy and culture.

Stalls and vendors offer tastings of mastic-infused dishes and products — from desserts to savoury dishes — while local artisans display handmade ceramics, textiles and jewellery that showcase the heritage of Chios.

Learning about mastic

The festival has a strong educational side, with activities covering the history, cultivation, harvesting and many everyday uses of mastic. It's also a chance to support the local community: by attending and buying local products, visitors help the sustainability of the mastic industry and the preservation of a tradition that UNESCO added to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2014.

Summary

The Chios Mastiha Festival is more than a cultural event — it's an invitation to immerse yourself in the island's history and traditions. Whether you're sampling mastic delicacies, dancing to traditional Greek music under an August full moon, or exploring the beauty of the Mastichochoria, it's an experience that stays with you.

Can't get to Chios this summer? Bring home the "tears of Chios" — authentic raw mastic tears.

Source: chios.gr