Following are the major annual
events that take place in the Limassol district every year.
Limassol Wine Festival
The wine festival has been one of the featured events in
Limassol, Cyprus’s wine capital, since 1961. It takes
place at the Municipal Gardens, just across the Olympion
promenade, in the beginning of September and lasts for
12 days.
The Limassol Wine Festival was inspired by the ancient festivals
dedicated to the God of wine Dionysus and honors the long
island’s tradition of winemaking. The giant statue
of a Cypriot wine-maker welcomes visitors at the entrance.
At the festival, guests, both locals and foreigners, get
the chance to try different local wines and traditional Cypriot
food.
Although there is a small entrance fee, the wines produced
by the island’s wineries are offered free of charge
in unlimited quantities. Another popular feature of the Wine
Festival is a traditional wine press. Folkloric dances, songs,
theatrical performances from local and international artistic
groups are also included in the program of the festival.
Limassol Carnival
Throughout its history Limassol was known as the city of
fun and entertainment. One of the brightest annual events
is definitely the Carnival. Although many cities and villages
organize carnival events, Limassol hosts the largest and
most colorful one in Cyprus.
Carnival begins 10 days before the Lent, or 50 days before
Orthodox Easter, on the Thursday of Kreatini (Meat Week,
as it is the last week for eating meat before the Lent).
Festivities start with the Carnival King entering the city,
decorated for the occasion. On Sunday the youngest participate
in the Children’s Parade and then the Serenaders’ shows
become the focus of the event. During the 10-day Carnival
period many hotels and clubs organize fancy-dress parties.
The Sunday of the second week of the festivities known as
Tyrini (Cheese Week, when cheese and other dairy products
may be consumed) is the climax of the Carnival. This is when
the Grand Carnival Parade takes place. Colorful floats and
groups of fancy-dressed people, singing and dancing, move
along the Makariou III Avenue in Limassol.
Cyprus Rally
Since 1970 Cyprus has been holding a rallying competition,
the Cyprus Rally. It is a three-day event that takes place
in the middle of May on the streets of Limassol and dangerous
mountain roads of Troodos.
From 2000 to 2006 the Cyprus Rally was part of the FIA’s
World Rally Championship. In 2007 and 2008 the event was
part of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship. The organizers
hope that the Cyprus Rally will rejoin the World Rally Championship
in 2009.
The event involves drivers piloting their cars around a
specially prepared route whilst observing strict time controls.
The rally route is divided into different sections; these
are known as “road sections” and “special
stages”. At the road sections that are parts of public
roads drivers must observe all local speed limits and regulations,
as well as the strict time controls. Regarding special stages,
drivers must complete these parts of the road as quickly
as possible.
Lemesia
LemesiaOne of the biggest annual international sporting events
in Cyprus – Lemesia – takes place in Limassol
in October. Although focusing on professional athleticism,
it also aims to promote participation in sports to Limassolians.
During the 10 days of Lemesia athletes from several countries
compete in a number of disciplines such as boxing, karate,
triathlon, marathon, shooting, rhythmic gymnastics, and cycling.
Every year the Municipality of Limassol invites a sports
personality as a special guest for the ceremony. There are
also events that do not involve active participation in sports,
for example, photographic exhibitions depicting Cyprus’ sporting
history.
First Lemesia took place in Limassol in 1998. Since then
the event experienced growth, with more sport events and
international athletes every year.
Russian Cypriot Festival
The Russian Embassy in Cyprus, the Limassol Municipality
and the Russian newspaper Cyprus Advertiser every year
organize the Russian-Cypriot Festival. It aims to promote
closer relationships between the two countries on a cultural
level.
The two-day long festival takes place in the beginning of
June at Molos area in Limassol. The program includes an exhibition
where more than 70 companies, Cypriot and Russian ones, present
their products. Guests of the festival are also given the
opportunity to see Cypriot and Russian dancers, singers and
musicians perform. The second day is solely dedicated to
children who show their creative skills at a special concert.
There are plenty of competitions, clowns for children, as
well as fireworks and a dance-party at night.
Cyprus Beer Festival
Along with the wine festival, Limassol hosts an annual Beer
Festival. The festival takes place at Molos Waterfront
in July, and the entrance is free.
The main feature of the event is, of course, beer. Visitors
get a chance to enjoy various local and imported beers including
KEO, Heineken, Becks, Amstel, Stella Artois, Budweiser and
Hoegaarden. DJs provide live music, and visitors can expect
a lot of great entertainment.
Cyprus Film Days
The Cyprus Film Days is an annual festival that shouldn’t
be left unnoticed by film-lovers. The event is organized
by the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and
Culture together with the Rialto Theater of Limassol.
The aim of the festival is to present a more complete and
characteristic depiction of the international film scene.
The movies shown at the festival are mostly from Europe and
Asia. The movies are screened at Rialto Theater in Limassol
as well as at Pantheon Art Cinema and Cine Studio in Nicosia.
European Dance Festival
The European Dance Festival, an annual
highlight on the European arts and culture scene, takes place
in Limassol in May. Dance groups from many European countries
come to Cyprus to compete with the Cypriot dance troupes.
Each of the groups presents performance representative of
their country’s contemporary dance trends, and is required
to show something special, for example, unique choreography
or an innovative stage set. The event is organized by the
Ministry of Education and Culture and the Rialto Theater,
with the cooperation of the embassies of participating countries.
Performances take place at the Rialto Theater. Apart from
dance performances, there are also inspiring workshops.
Amathusia Festival
Each summer Agios Tychonas Community Board holds the Amathusia
Festival. The event takes place in a spectacular location
amongst the ancient Greek ruins of Amathous in Limassol.The
program includes cultural events that introduce visitors
and locals to traditional dance and music typical to the
region as well as performances by Cypriot contemporary dance
groups, top string quartets and Greek and Cypriot singers
that present songs both in traditional and modern styles.
Entrance is free.
Ballet Festival
For several years the Limassol Municipality is organizing
the Ballet Festival. The festival is ranked among the most
important events in Cyprus and attracts great numbers of
local and foreign visitors.
Some of the past participants include the St. Petersburg
Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet, Kremlin Ballet, the National
Ballet Opera of Hungary, Michael Flatley’s Lord of
the Dance and Fuego Spanish Group.
The main sponsors are Cyprus Telecommunications Authority,
Cyprus Tourism Organization and the Ministry of Education
and Culture.
Rainbow Festival
The aim of this anti-racism multicultural festival is to
bring people of all races together. It is organized by
KISA (Action for Equality, Support and Antiracism) and
takes place at Molos Waterfront in Limassol. The Rainbow
festival joins together various migrant, asylum seeker
and refugee community organizations and Cypriot human rights
and cultural organizations.
The program of the festival includes music, songs and dances.
There are also exhibitions and information kiosks where you
can learn about the fight against racism and discrimination
on the island. Kids also will find entertainment to their
hearts as there is a children’s corner at the festival.
. You will also find a bazaar and plenty of stalls where
you can try food from different countries.
The Rainbow festival usually takes place in November. Entrance
is free. The event takes place also at Eleftheria Square
Park in Nicosia.
Shakespearean Nights
Each June the ancient amphitheater of Kourion is transformed
into a stage for performances of the Shakespearean plays.
The open-air Kourion theater occupies a dramatic cliff
top location and creates a perfect environment for staging
the works of the famous English poet and playwright.
The Shakespeare Festival is a charity event annually organized
by the Society for Chest Diseases. The performances attract
large numbers of visitors from Cyprus and abroad.
Berengaria Festival
The Berengaria International Music Festival is dedicated
to the presentation of both chamber and solo music performed
by high caliber musicians from all over the world.
The Berengaria Festival takes place in March at the Rialto
Theater in Limassol. It is organized by the Municipality
of Kato Polemidia and the Rialto Theater within the framework
of the musical and aesthetic education of pupils in collaboration
with the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Since its creation in 2003 artists from Argentina, Austria,
Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Israel,
Romania, Russia, Switzerland and Taiwan have been guests
of the festival.
One of the aims of the festival is to introduce new audience,
especially young people, to the classical music. For this
reason Berengaria offers every year two morning concerts
played by young talented musicians.
Annual Contemporary Dance Platform
In the middle of March the Annual Contemporary Dance Platform
takes place at the Rialto Theater in Limassol. This is
a well established dance festival that has been taking
place in Cyprus for the last 8 years.
The 3-day platform offers a great opportunity to see how
contemporary dance in Cyprus is developing. Every year local
choreographers and dancers show their works. Each performance
has its own individuality and brings contemporary experience
and emotional impact that are not to be missed. Every year
the festival organizers add a new feature.
Koumandaria Festival
July is the month for celebrations in honor of the famous
Cypriot wine Koumandaria. The villages of the Kourris Valley,
which is one of the main wine producing regions of Cyprus,
hold the annual Koumandaria Festival. Alassa, Agios Georgios,
Doros, Laneia, Monagri and Silikou are the main participating
villages. Koumandaria is a sweet dessert wine that was
first produced during the Crusades and is now a popular
drink among both locals and visitors
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