Cypriot Festivals, Events and Holidays
Some dates are fixed, others vary. Easter in the Greek Orthodox Church spans wider boundaries, being dictated by the older Julian Calendar, rather than the more astronomically correct Gregorian Calendar. Find the first Full Moon after the Spring Equinox, then Orthodox Easter will be the following Sunday.
The Cypriot year involves many large social gatherings with family and friends at key points of the religious calendar. Food always has an important role in these celebrations.
 | 1 January | Protochronia | New Year | Ayios Vasilis | St Basil's Day | Family celebrations involve Vasilopita orange and brandy cake as a breakfast treat, baked with a lucky coin inside. | |
| 6 January | Ta Fota | Epiphany | Harbourside celebrations at the main resorts. It's lucky to retrieve the Bishop's cross after it's tossed into the sea. | ||
 | February | Tsiknopempti | Fat / Stinky Thursday | A day for a traditional meat blowout feast prior to Lent. 'Stinky' refers to the aroma from all the barbecues. | |
| Feb/Mar | Limassol Carnival | Costume parades and floats, stalls, food, music and dance events, exhibitions, competitions, dramatic performances. | ||
 | Feb/Mar | Kathará Deftéra | Green / Clean / Ash Monday | Start of the 50-day Lenten fast giving up meat, eggs and dairy. Outdoor family picnics (salads and seafood) with kites. | |
| 25 March | Greek Independence Day | Commemorating the start of the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire, from 1821. | ||
 | Mar/Apr | Limassol Marathon | With a stunning route along the Molos seafront promenade, this is a great event for participants and spectators. | |
| 1 April | Cypriot National Day | Marking Archbishop Makarios' 1950s campaign for independence. Also a day for April Fool pranks. | ||
| Apr/May | Pascha | Orthodox Easter | Good Fri - church flowers, community lunch, evening procession. Easter Sun - all-day meat-centric family dinners for end of Lent. Coloured eggs game. | ||
 | 1 May | Anthestiria | Spring Flowers Festival | Flower-decked themed floats honouring the Greek God Dionysus, celebrating the arrival of spring. | |
| May | Limassol Boat Show | Boats and boating exhibits and displays, demonstrations and water-based activities, stalls, street entertainers, and more. | ||
| May | Agros Rose Festival | Celebrating the village as a rose-growing centre - producing rose-based perfume, rose water, brandy, sweets. | ||
 | May/Jun | Kataklysmos | Festival of the Flood | Kids with water pistols. Water-based fun at the main harbours. Hilarious greasy pole action at Paphos. | |
| June | Sports and Fun Festival, Platres | Opportunities to try cycling, rock climbing, downhill racing and archery. | ||
| Jun/Jul | Shakespeare Festival, Kourion, Limassol | The bard's greatest works performed at the spectacular Kourion Roman amphitheatre. | ||
 | July | Herb Festival, Platres, Troodos | Herb walks, tastings, arts and craft market, presentations about herbs. | |
| July | Ancient Greek Drama Festival | Open-air performances at Kourion amphitheatre, Paphos Ancient Odeon, and Makarios III amphitheatre, Nicosia. | ||
| Jul/Aug | Pissouri Grape Festival | Celebrating the grape harvest, the whole village dines together at trestle tables in the square. Visitors welcome. | ||
 | August | Perseid Meteor Shower | A dazzling display of fast and bright shooting stars visible with the naked eye in the north-eastern sky. | |
| 15 August | Assumption of Virgin Mary | National religious holiday in the Greek Orthodox church. | ||
| Aug/Sep | Limassol Wine Festival | Taste the variety of local wines from large and small wineries. Cypriot food, performances, music, dance. | ||
 | Aug/Sep | Pastry and Baked Goods Festival, Galata, Troodos | Specialising in flour milling - due to the number of watermills - this village became the island's pastry and baking centre. Bread and pastries, demonstrations, music and dance. | |
| September | Paphos Aphrodite Festival | Professional opera production performed in the beautiful setting of Paphos harbour, in front of the castle. | ||
| Dates vary | Cyprus Rally | Part of the European Rally Championship. Locations and stages vary. | ||
 | Sep/Oct | Anogyra Pastelli Festival | Pastelli is a jelly-like sweet made from locally grown carobs. Syrup-making, music, singing, buffet, cookies and candy. | |
| 1 Oct | Cyprus Independence Day | The Republic of Cyprus was established in 1960 after achieving independence from Britain. | ||
| October | Kyperounta Apple Festival, Troodos | Open-air market with seasonal apples, local products, fresh apple juice, pies, vinegar, exhibits, pie competition. | ||
 | October | Cyprus Dragon Boat Festival, Akrounta | Head for Germasogeia Dam, Limassol to watch international dragon boat teams competing. | |
| 28 October | Epeteios tou Ochi | No Day | Greek National Day | Commemorating Greek General Metaxas' "No" to an Italian request for occupation in 1940, bringing Greece into WWII. | ||
| 24 December | Christmas Eve | Cypriot children go carol singing while their mothers bake Christopsomo - a brioche-style Christmas bread. | ||
 | 25 December | Christouyenna | Christmas | Christmas is celebrated with plenty of delicious Cypriot food, exchanging family gifts, and age-old traditions. | |
| 26 December | Limassol Boxing Day Santa Run | A chance to work off Christmas excesses by donning a Santa suit and joining Limassol Running Club's annual 5 km run. | ||
| 31 December | New Year's Eve | St Basil (Santa) delivers his gifts to Cypriot children on New Year's Eve. |
Pissouri Amphitheatre Events
Kendall Events | Morrelli Events | Promoters of tribute act shows at Pissouri amphitheatre and other local venues.
Visit websites for the most up-to-date information on events programmes, artist and show details, ticket prices and online booking.