Greece — Events
Rockwave Festival
January 1, 2012 - July 9, 2012
This annual three-day rock festival is staged over a long weekend at the Terra Vibe stadium near Malakassa (37 km north of Athens city center). There are two main stages - line ups have included international names such The Stranglers, Gogol Bordello and The Prodigy.
Apokries
February 1, 2012 - March 30, 2012
Each year, in the 3-week run up to Lent, Greeks celebrateApokries (carnival). The biggest festivities, including parades with floats and masquerade (fancy dress) are in Patras and Xanthi. Although apokries is connected to the Orthodox Church calendar, it also has links to the Ancient Greek god of wine and ritual intoxication, Dionysus. Celebrations culminate on the weekend beforeKathari Devtera (Ash Monday), which is a public holiday, after which a 40-day period of fasting runs until Easter.
Easter
March 31, 2012 - April 29, 2012
Easter is the most important religious festival of the year for the Orthodox Church. Good Friday sees candle-lit holy processions departing from churches in most towns and villages. On the Saturday evening, a solemn church service is held, concluding with the midnight resurrection - church bells ring, candles are lit and a big feast of dyed red Easter eggs andmagaritsa soup ensues. Easter Sunday is given over to a massive family lunch of whole spit-roast lamb and lots of wine.
Sound and Light
May 1, 2012 - October 31, 2012
Combining a dramatic architectural setting with evocative lighting, projected images and stereophonic sound, this show is a kind of theater without actors. It tells the story of the unequal struggles between the Knights of Saint John and the people of Rhodes against the might of the Turkish Army under the leadership of Suleiman the Great (1522 AD). Some of the great monuments of Rhodes town play a leading role in a drama, based on historic sources, as each is bathed successively in colored light.
Feast Day of Saint Demetrius
May 21, 2012 - May 23, 2012
The patron saint of the city of Thessaloniki, Saint Demetrius is celebrated on his day, both here and throughout Greece. In the countryside, this is also the day when the new yield of wine is first broached, and is a fitting excuse for widespread imbibing. Demetrius was martyred in Thessaloniki and his fame spread throughout the Roman Empire. He was the protector of the city’s population and would save them from danger, disease, epidemics and enemies. Great feasts took place in his honor and a great festival and international trade fair attracted pilgrims and merchants from across Europe.
Epidaurus Festival
May 31, 2012 - August 30, 2012
On Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the summer, classical Greek drama is played out at an equally classical Greek site - the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus. Close to an extensive archaeological site, the well-preserved theater was built in two stages in the fourth and second centuries BC. The plays are performed in Modern Greek.
Acropolis Rally
May 31, 2012 - June 29, 2012
Staged annually since 1953, this is one of the most grueling races on the World Rally Championship schedule. The course alters slightly each year, following the rough, twisty, rocky mountain roads outside Athens. It takes place over three days and attracts competitors from all over the world.
Hellenic Festival
May 31, 2012 - September 29, 2012
Open-air theater, opera, classical music and dance are staged at various sites in Athens, with the top venue being the 2nd-century BC Odeon of Herodes Atticus, carved into the rocks of the southern slope of the Acropolis. Line-ups have included the Sadler’s Wells dance company from London and the Bolshoi Opera from Moscow. In addition, ancient Greek dramas are staged at Epidaurus Ancient Theater, a two-hour drive southwest of Athens.
European Music Day
May 31, 2012 - June 29, 2012
Founded to celebrate the summer solstice (Jun 21), European Music Day sees free concerts at open-air venues in various cities throughout Europe. In Greece it has been extended to last five days. The main events take place in Athens, where past performers include the Scissor Sisters and Transglobal Underground. but there are also concerts in 33 other Greek towns, including Thessaloniki, Rhodes Town (Rhodes), and Hania and Heraklion (Crete).
Music Day
June 1, 2012 - November 30, 2012
The idea of ‘Fete de la Musique’ was a European initiative, launched in 1982 as the only Pan-European cultural event dedicated to music. Held over the day of the summer solstice, it is organized by professional and institutional partners from various European countries and involves both professional performers and amateur musicians. It brings together all styles of music and targets the whole population. Traditional music, orchestras, choirs, pop, jazz, rock, rap and techno are all included.
