Island life is a happy life! Here there is plenty of time to enjoy life and celebrate it with annual festivals around the island. We put together a list of some of those events:
Limassol Carnival
This carnival is a very important event to the island and takes place during the two weeks before the Greek Orthodox Lent period. During the first week which is known as Meat Week, the last week they can eat meat before Easter. The carnival itself starts on the Thursday of meat week and goes for ten days. In Limassol, you can find the biggest celebration which starts off with a huge parade and carries on with parties. On the first Sunday of the carnival, a children’s parade takes place with lots of games and feasts. The highlight of the carnival is the grand parade in Limassol.
Paphos Aphrodite Opera Festival
Usually held in September, this fabulous festival welcomes performers from around the world. It takes place at Paphos’s Medieval Castle which gives it a magical feeling. The atmosphere of the Aphrodite Opera Festival is captivating, and it is very highly recommended to Participate.
Anthestiria Flower Festival
The Festival of Antestria Is inspired by the ancient festival held in Athens in honor of the God Dionysus. It takes place in May since this is when the Flowers blossom, they called the flower month. Since the Flowers are blossoming is considered a time of rebirth, so this festival is also considered a celebration of souls. In Limassol, during this time they have a beautiful flower parade on gorgeous decorated floats.
Kataklysmos
This event is celebrated mostly in the coastal towns since its theme is directly connected to water. It is the festival of the flood, as in Noah and his ark. It starts off with a priest throwing a cross into the water and having a diver retrieve it. After that, the diver gets a blessing. In Larnaca, it is celebrated at the palm tree promenade, where the promenade turns into a market. In Paphos, it is celebrated at the castle by the harbor. This festival lasts for 7-10 days.
Shakespearean Nights
The Koirion theatre goes a bit back in time and transforms into a theater where W. Shakespeare had his plays shown. There is something magical about watching a play at a place where you can see the sea and feel its breeze. This event is something very special and attracts many people from around the world.
Lemesia
Limassol has its own all-around sporting competition. This is one of the most important sporting events in Cyprus. It takes place for ten days in October and covers many different types of sports. It kind of feels like one of the famous Ancient Greek sports contests.
Limassol Wine Festival
Every year at the beginning of September Limassol becomes very festive with a wine festival. This festival celebrates traditional winemaking in Cyprus. The event takes place in the municipal gardens along the seafront and lasts for 12 days. At a small cost, you can enjoy a lot of fantastic home-made wines and traditional food. Besides drinking and eating there are theatrical performances, folk dancing, and wine pressing on location.
Kypria International Festival
The Kypria International Festival is an art festival with many aspects to it, whether it is ballet performances, or classical music, or even films. They have a large variety of artists who come from around the world either to perform or show the art they have worked on.
Cyprus Rally
As part of the Middle East Rally Championship, this leg of the race is in Cyprus. To this event, the best cars and drivers in the middle ease and sometimes the world, come to compete against each other. It takes place in Limassol and the Troodos mountains, and people get to enjoy the sound of the roaring engines while watching the race live on the scene.
Limassol Beer Festival
This 3-day event which usually takes place in August is a lot of fun and free to enter. At the festival, you get to sample different beers from all around the world and local as well, while listening to great musical performances. It is a lot of fun.
Berengaria International Music Festival
At the Rialto Theatre in Limassol gather musical artists from around the world. They play classical music to the audience and the idea behind the event is to introduce classical music to people and get young people inspired and enthused about it.