Pylos Hosts Over 10,000 Visitors for Navarinia Festival 2019

Navarinia Festival

Over 10,000 people gathered in Pylos in the Peloponnese during October 18-20 to attend the Navarinia Festival 2019, an annual event that re-enacts the historic Battle of Navarino.

This year’s celebrations marked the 192nd anniversary since the naval battle, which took place in Navarino Bay on the west coast of the Peloponnese on October 20, 1827, during the Greek War of Independence, between Greece’s allied forces from Britain, France, and Russia, and Ottoman and Egyptian forces.

The Navarinia Festival was attended by state officials, regional and local authorities including Hellenic Republic President Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

The main event of the celebrations – the re-enactment of the Battle – took place at the Old Port of Pylos on Saturday, October 19.

Five unique traditional sailing boats of the Traditional Boats Association – one dating back to 1900 – took part in the re-enactment show, which included a live storytelling event, special audiovisual effects and fireworks.

The three-day Navarinia Festival also included a race of traditional and modern boats in the Navarino Bay, an exhibition of ship models by George Bouzounis and artwork by Denis Gaille, a roundtable discussion and a traditional dancing event.

Moreover, an honorary event was held in favor of the French who lost their lives from Thermes during the period 1828-1832.

During the three-day celebrations Pylos’ residents and visitors also had the chance to visit Greek frigate “Psara” and Russian patrol vessel “Vasily Bykov”.

The re-enactment show of the historic naval battle was organized by the Municipality of Pylos-Nestor.