GNTO: Exciting Greek Culture Tourism Events in June

Papagos Cholargos Municipality Festival 2022. Photo source: Municipality of Papagos-Cholargos

The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) has announced its support for a number of cultural events scheduled to take place throughout Greece in June.

The events, which will showcase Greek culture and local traditions, include the Papagos-Cholargos Municipality Festival, the theatrical performance “Six Women in Greek Tragedy”, the International Festival of Traditional Dances of Nea Anchialos, the International Film Festival of Kimolos, and the “Pasades in Ioannina”. According to the GNTO, the events are expected to enhance the country’s image and promote its tourism offerings.

The month’s events began with the “Lavender Fest” in the villages of Valtos and Pythio. In its third edition, the Lavender Fest highlights northern Evros as a key destination for agritourism, cultural and gastronomy tourism, focusing on the area’s some 500 acres of lavender. The festval will will run until June 23.

Papagos-Cholargos Municipality Festival

Commencing on June 20, a festival will be held by the Papagos-Cholargos Municipality at the Papagos Garden Theater. With a 30-year history, the festival has become a landmark summer event in Attica, featuring leading artists in theater, music, children’s shows, and cinema. This year’s events will conclude at the end of September.

“Six Women in Greek Tragedy”

“Six Women in Greek Tragedy” is a theatrical composition featuring tragedies by three of the most renowned playwrights of ancient Greece — Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides — focusing on the characters Medea, Electra, Antigone, Hecabe, Iphigenia, and Alcestis in a single performance.

The production will be presented from June 22 to August 31 at the Athens University History Museum in Plaka. The show also includes an exhibition of theatrical masks titled “Ancient Greek Comedy and Tragedy Mas”, with guided tours in English to introduce foreign visitors to ancient tragedy and Greek cultural heritage.

7th International Folk Dance Festival of Nea Anchialos

The 7th International Festival of Traditional Dances of Nea Anchialos will take place at the ‘Nikos Sharmanis’ Cultural Center on June 24 and 25. Dance groups from Greece, Chile, Colombia, Bosnia–Herzegovina, Serbia, and Ukraine, the honored country of this year’s event, will participate in the festival.

While in Nea Anchialos, foreign delegations will visit Volos, Almyros, Pelion, and the local wine cooperative.

6th Kimolos International Film Festival

Scheduled to take place from June 24 to 28 on Kimolos, Cyclades, the festival is an innovative event showcasing films, documentaries, and short films covering topics such as the environment, human rights, children, and gastronomy.

According to the GNTO, local authorities aim to promote sustainable practices in tourism through the festival. This year’s event will feature films from Greece, Great Britain, Cyprus, Uzbekistan, France, Portugal, Spain, Poland, India, and the UAE.

“Pasades in Ioannina”

The GNTO also supports the initiative “Pasades in Ioannina”, a 90-minute theatrical route through the narrow streets of the historic castle city of Ioannina, based on original texts inspired by local legends and the city’s history.

This innovative event is part of the Pamvotis Lake Project, which aims to preserve intangible cultural heritage, create a cultural legacy for future generations, and encourage participants to visit the city’s museums and monuments.

“Pasades in Ioannina” began last March and will conclude in March 2025.