Larnaca, Cyprus » Entertainment » Festivals last update: 04.08.2008 (3 months, 1 week ago)

In July (annual)

Every summer Cypriots celebrate a festival of music and performing arts. This annual festival provides outdoor, indoor concerts and a feast of entertainment at various town venues throughout the festival days in July. The festival serves up the performances of dance, theatre and music, film screenings and poetry by national and international talent.

In May (annual)

The Anthestiria festival is a celebration for the coming of spring and nature's rebirth and connected with Ancient Greece. The festival is commenced by a parade of floats and people carrying beautiful, fresh flowers to seafront. During this period, a visit to Troödos Mountains is an awesome experience as the hillsides gets overflowing with beautiful plants and flowers.

In April (annual)

This festival takes place eight days before the Greek Orthodox celebration of Easter. The feast day of the patron saint, St Lazarus is celebrated with a lively procession by Cypriots. The icon of Saint Lazarus that is normally kept in the Church of St Lazarus is taken in procession through the streets.

The flood festival is Cyprus specialty festival, which takes place every year in June. Also known as Kataklysmos, this festival is celebrated 50 days after Orthodox Easter on the day that is known also as the day of the Holy Spirit. The traditions have biblical roots with references to the great flood and link to Greek mythology. Celebrations are connected with to the ancient ceremonies organized in honor of Aphrodite and Adonis.

As the name suggests, water is the main focus of the festival. During the festival period, the people of Cyprus gather at the coast to mark the Christian feast of the Pentecost with religious ceremonies, concerts, boat races, swimming competitions and water-throwing activities to symbolize the purification of the body and the soul.

In January (annual)

This festival is one of major Greek Orthodox religious celebrations of the year. Also famous as feast of light, it is celebrated in seaside towns of Cyprus. During this period, people gather at the Cathedral and a religious procession takes place down to the sea, leading to a ceremonial baptism of the Holy Cross into the sea.

In August (annual)

During the whole August month, most of the villages in Cyprus celebrate their own summer festival with live music, traditional dancing and plenty of food and wine. This month is the best time to visit southern part of the Cyprus.

In March (annual)

Carnival takes place before the 50 days of Easter and celebrated throughout the country with impressive parades, fancy dress balls and main focus on food. This two-week period of celebrations includes the first week with plenty of Meat (famous as Kreatini) and second of the cheese week (popular as Tyrini).

In March (annual)

The beginning of Lent is marked by the festival, Green Monday. It is celebrated in all towns and villages of Cyprus with plenty of music, dancing and delicious vegetarian food. On this day, Cypriots gather for an outdoor vegetarian meal of bread, vegetables and olives at the start of this Orthodox festival of fasting and contemplation.