Events in Paphos
Paphos’ rich cultural heritage has been the centre of this town’s annual event attractions. The wide variety of events throughout the year keeps the locals and tourists entertained.
March
The month of March is the time for sports and games all around Paphos. The locals organize an annual marathon event which is both enjoyed by participants and spectators alike. Professional and amateur runners from all over the world come to Cyprus to participate in this sporting event. It incorporates three different distances¦ the Marathon, Half Marathon and 10 km Road Race. The starting point of the Cyprus Marathon is at Petra tou Romiou, the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, and it finishes with a long section of road on the Paphos seafront at the Paphos Medieval Castle square. The Classical Games event is a one day celebration commemorating the ancient Olympic Games which originated from ancient Greece. Cyprus Marathon is not only a well organized sporting event with excellent facilities for the runners. It also incorporates a number of activities, such as traditional Cypriot and Greek dancing, which make it a fun event for all the family and friends.
May
May is the month of Anthestiria Flower Festival in Paphos. This is the way they Cypriot’s celebrate spring and rebirth of nature. The Poseidon Avenue in Paphos will be filled with flower floats and people carrying beautiful fresh flowers on the annual parade of Anthestiria Flower Festival. May also see’s the Pharos International Chamber Music Festival. This annual event lasts for about one week. Each year guests of the festival enjoy the classical music performances given by the best world musicians.
Chamber concerts, recitals and a lecture series are given during the festival. Events take place in PASYDY Auditorium in Nicosia and in the Royal Manor House at Kouklia. It is worth mentioning that the Royal Manor House at Kouklia is one of the finest surviving monuments of Frankish architecture on the island and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is located next toe the archeological site of Aphrodite’s Sanctuary.
June
When June arrives, a week-long celebration called Kataklysmos is celebrated by all seaside towns of Cyprus and that includes Paphos as well. It is also otherwise known as Festival of the Flood. It has been said that the great flood which cleansed mankind of its sins and enabled new life on earth is the reason for this celebration. The Cypriots also incorporated the birth of Aphrodite from the waves of the sea as a part of this annual celebration.
Summer
Summer in Cyprus brings a seemingly everlasting program of concerts and festivals with most towns and villages putting on some kind of musical event throughout this season.
For example, the Choir Festival is organized in Paphos every June. The program of the event features performances of the choirs from all over Cyprus and several overseas groups. The festival takes place in the Ancient Odeon in Kato Paphos that makes for an incredible setting for the performances.
In August visit the village of Kallepeia in the Paphos region that comes alive for the annual Arkadia Festival. The Arkadia Festival aims to entertain the locals as well as show the tourists the traditional Cypriot hospitality by using live music, traditional dancing, and great food which the region is known for. This event celebrates the beauty of the area and is a great day for all the family. This month usually marks the time when the tourist population begins to increase because of another upcoming festival Paphos is most popular for.
The most popular event all over Paphos, since its first organisation in 1999 is the Aphrodite Festival; an annual opera festival which is so popular due to the perfect mood and environment created for almost any opera performance through the very location of the Festival. The event takes place in the open air at the square in front of the medieval castle of Paphos. Opera lovers should not miss this festival which takes place in the coastal city each September. This is the most prestigious event of the year and tourists during this time pour from every country to watch the event. Every year the festival organizers invite a well-known opera troupe to the city to perform an opera. Past performances include Verdi’s “La Traviata” and “Aida”, Bizet’s “Carmen” and Puccini’s “Turandot”.
Every year at the end of the hot summer, Stroumbi village of the Paphos district holds a festival in honour of Dionysus, the famed Greek god of wine; the Dionysia Festival.
The first time the Dionysia Festival was organized was in 1967 when a group of people from the community established the “Dance of the Grape”, which took place in the village square and lasted for one day. Later the event took the form of a three-day festival and grew over the years into one of the biggest and most significant events of its kind in the country.
The program of the Dionysia includes many wine exhibits, traditional Cypriot and foreign dances and songs, games, local arts, crafts, fruits, vine-produce and flower displays. Throughout the duration of the festival plenty of grapes and palouze (must jelly) are offered for free. On the last night of the festival, a “Star Dionysia” and a “Miss Grape” are voted after a dance contest.
Paradise Jazz Festival takes place every year in Septmeber in the Paphos district of Polis Chrysohous.
The Paradise Jazz Festival was founded in 1999 by David Locke and Socratis, the owner of the Paradise Place bar and restaurant near Pomos. The aim of the festival is to bring the best of London’s young jazz musicians to Cyprus to perform in a relaxed and inspirational location.
