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Culture
International Agrinio Choral Festival (04-06/10/2024)
The Agrinio International Choral festival is coordinated by Agia Skepi Association in collaboration with Agrinio and Thermo Municipalities under the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Greek Tourism Organization
Chania Film Festival (16-27/10/2024)
The 12th Chania Film Festival will take place from the 16th till the 27th of October in Chania, Crete. Within 11 years, the Chania Film Festival has managed to grow in a dynamic yet solid way. Thousands – young and old – spectators at its annual celebration but also at its actions and events that spread throughout the year throughout Crete and beyond.
Nafpaktia Chestnut & Raki Festival (mid-October)
Tsipouro and chestnut festival takes place in Ano Hora, Nafpakria, Peloponnese in mid October. During the festival raki (a strong spirit) is distilled and served to the visitors along with roasted chestnuts, traditional deserts (baklava, kourabiedes, ravani, cherry, chestnut, walnut, and quince), traditional pies and goat stew.
Kastanitsa Chestnut Festival (late-October)
Kastanitsa is a traditional village in Arcadia, Peloponnese on the southern slope of Mount Parnon. Chestnut forests surround the village. The annual Chestnut Festival, held in late October, is a multi-sensory event where visitors have the opportunity to taste local sweets and dishes cooked with chestnuts and traditional recipes from the region.
Tourism
International Sea Tourism Festival – Rhodes (25-28/10/2024)
The International Sea Tourism Festival (ISTF) is taking place this year in Rhodes under the theme “Go Blue – Go Green – Go Smart”, and it is established as the biggest celebration of maritime tourism in Greece. from October 25th to October 28th, 2024. The purpose of the festival is to showcase Greece as a top destination for maritime tourism in the Mediterranean and to strengthen relationships with countries in the region. Through the participation of yachting companies, cruise lines, sailing, diving, water sports, and premium global brands, the South Aegean takes center stage in maritime tourism.
Religious Feasts
St. Averkios Day (22/10/2024)
St. Averkios, Patron of wine, is celebrated in Emporio village in the Cycladic island of Santorini. Back in the old days, the wine producers would go to the canaves to bless and taste the new wines. Then, they ate sung, danced all day. The church of Metamorphosis of Sotiros (Christ) dated to the early 19th century hosts the icon of St. Averkios.
St. Demetrius Day (26/10/2024)
The northern city of Thessaloniki festively celebrates its patron St. Demetrius. The festivities begin with the Divine Liturgy followed by a procession with the relics and icon of St. Demetrius through the streets of the city. His feast day 26 also coincides with Thessaloniki’s most important day in its modern history: The city’s liberation from the Ottoman Turks in 1912. St. Demetrius was born in 280 AD in Thessaloniki and was the son of a wealthy military commander. When he was young, he decided to get secretly baptized a Christian. According to tradition, he died at a very young age, most likely when he was only 26, being a martyr for his faith. The Church of Saint Demetrius, or Hagios Demetrios is the main sanctuary dedicated to him. This church houses some spectacular Byzantine mosaics, as well as the crypt of the Saint.
Cinema Festival (31/10/2024)
For the third consecutive year, the “cinema festival” is being organized and for just one day, all movies in all cinemas across Greece will have a single ticket price of 2 euros. In 2022, when this event was organized for the first time, ticket sales exceeded 110,000, with the audience flooding the cinemas.
National Holiday
Ohi Day (28/10/2024)
“Ohi Day”, meaning the Day of the No, is a national holiday celebrated on the October 28 each year in Greece, Cyprus, and by Greek communities worldwide, in honor of the negative answer of Greece’s Prime Minister, Ioannis Metaxas when Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini asked him to allow Italian troops to enter Greek territory during World War II, on October 28th, 1940. Although his action eventually led to Greece entering World War II, people all over the world admired Greece’s bravery. Military and student parades take place in the Greek capital Athens and in all major cities across the country.
The grandest is taking place in the port city Thessaloniki in northern Greece in the presence of the President of the Republic. Officials in towns and villages are also placing laurel wreaths on the local war memorials to commemorate the fallen heroes. Public buildings and private residences are festooned with “The Blue and White” (Galanólefki) Greek flag. Greek Orthodox churches are open for special services to mark the national anniversary. Most retail shops are closed. Cafes, bars and restaurants remain open welcoming locals and visitors alike.
Sports
Spetses mini Marathon (SMM)
The Spetses mini Marathon (SMM) event started in 2011 on the island that played muse to Leonard Cohen, as well as many other musicians, writers, artists and poets. The SMM is now an international sporting event aimed at runners who are both experienced and beginners, with a range of options for participants, including races of 5,10, and 25 km, as well as swimming races of 1.5 km, 3 km, and 5 km, and kids races. SMM is organised under the auspices of the Municipality of Spetses as well as the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO).
Crete Half Marathon (06/10/2024)
Starting from the town of Arkalochori, in Heraklion, the Crete Half Marathon includes 10km and 5km races for adults, a 1,000m race for children race and 200m races for people with disabilities as well as the Half Marathon (21.1 km).
