Athens City Festival Continues with Free Events for All

Varvakios Party at the Central Municipal Market of Athens. Photo source: This is Athens

The 3rd This is Athens – City Festival is currently underway, showcasing a diverse array of entertainment events and creative activities suitable for families and adults.

An initiative of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA), the festival kicked off earlier this month and includes more than 250 events such as parties, concerts, and tours in the city.

In its second week, the festival’s vibrant events mark spring in the city, beckoning both residents and visitors to discover the array of iconic landmarks of the Greek capital, take part in guided tours and book readings and also party at an “outdoor club”. The festival will come to an end on June 2.

Festival’s weekend program

Tour at the First Cemetery of Athens. Photo source: This is Athens

From May 9 to 13, the program features a lineup of events with free admission. Many of them will only be available in the Greek language.

Friday, May 10

– Fairytale readings at the National Garden: A show with fairy tales drawn from the folk tradition of Greece and world heritage combined with music and song.

– Guided Tour to Rizokastro and Anafiotika: Rizokastro and Anafiotika are two of the most historic areas of Athens. Led by the monuments and buildings that have survived to this day and the ruins of some that no longer exist, tour guides will attempt to reconstruct their old image.

– Athens Street Food Festival 2024, Old Depot OSY, Ermou, and Pireos: From May 10 to 12, the 7^th Athens Street Food Festival will present exciting and innovative ideas from street cuisines around the world.

– World of Beer Festival, Technopolis of Athens: From May 10 to 12, the festival includes daily beer workshops and tastings, excellent street food, live broadcasting, concerts, games, stand-up comedy shows, and many more happenings.

Athens Street Food Festival. Photo source: This is Athens

Saturday, May 11

– First Cemetery of Athens: Outdoor Glyptotheque, First Cemetery of Athens: Guided by Michalis Giohalas and Athens Culture Net, this is a tour through space and time, exploring unknown aspects of modern Greek burials, craftsmanship, and sculptural creation.

– Historical Walk around the National Archaeological Museum: The National Archaeological Museum presents a chronicle of the Greek State from its foundation (1830) to the present day as explored through an evening walk of the museum grounds.

– Varvakios: The Party, Central Municipal Market of Athens: The Public Fish & Meat Market becomes an outdoor club with contemporary dance music and acclaimed DJs on the decks.

Historical Walk around the National Archaeological Museum. Photo source: This is Athens

Sunday, May 12

– Bridges: A bookish music therapy in the central urban fabric, Athens Book Space, Eleftherias Park: “Bridges” is a musical reading approach where the artists Calliope, Marios Visvikis, and Mister Enarto, in the role of musical travelers, will present their new projects live to the audience from early afternoon until 22:00.

– Family & The City, Kypseli Municipal Market: On the occasion of International Mother’s Day, the Athens City Festival is organizing a day-long celebration of creative activities and games for children and their mothers.

– Street Outdoors, Koumoundourou Square: The square is being transformed into a unique outdoor club by the team from Street Outdoors, which promises to bring the neighborhood back to life.

– From the Acropolis to Dubai and back again, Museum of the Ancient Greek Technology: Following in the footsteps of Heron of Alexandria and Archimedes, the journey starts from the Acropolis and passes through Alexandria, London, Indonesia, and Dubai, aiming to explore the “green city” of the future and discover that it has already been built by ancient Greek engineers.

– Festival of Polyphonic Songs, Filopappou Hill: Starting on Sunday, May 12, the festival will host twelve polyphonic groups from Epirus and the Greek areas of southern Italy to perform Greek polyphonic traditional songs. The festival will wrap up on May 14.

Street Outdoors at Koumoundourou Square. Photo source: This is Athens

Monday, May 13

– Bon Entendeur live at Eleftherias Park: The famous duo from France, who perform concerts all over Europe, are coming for a spring show at Eleftherias Park, a historic hillside on one of the busiest streets of Athens.

More information on the This is Athens—City Festival 2024 program of events can be found here: https://cityfestival.thisisathens.org/en/home/