GNTO Supports Summer Culture Festivals in Greece

Photo source: @Aeschylia Festival

The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) has announced its support to a number of cultural events scheduled to take place in August and September in various locations around Greece.

Aiming to support events and activities that enrich Greece’s tourism product and highlight its alternative forms of tourism and comparative advantages, the GNTO has set four events under its auspices: the Xenios Festival of Ilia, Elefsina’s Aescylia Festival, Achaia’s Poseidonia 2021 events and Patmos’ Sacred Music Festival.

Xenios Festival 2021, Ilia

This year’s “Xenios Festival – The Host Festival” is taking pace in the areas of Ancient Pheia, Ancient Olympia, the thermal baths of Ancient Yrmini, Seliniatika and the Hlemoutsi Castle in the region of Ilia, during August 21-28.

Every year, the festival combines cultural and tourism activities through the participation of musicians, dancers, actors and audiovisual artists who visit Ilia as travelers but also present their work in significant historic and cultural sites.

Over 1,000 Greek and foreign artists have taken part in the events of Xenios Festival since 2012.

The festival will be completed with a special performance scheduled to take place at the Athens Concert Hall, on October 8.

Aeschylia Festival 2021 – Elefsina

Held in Elefsina in the region of Attica, since 1975, the Aeschylia Festival is considered one of Greece’s most significant cultural events.

The festival’s events are taking place in Elefsina’s Old Oil Mill and the city’s open-air cinema during August 22-26. These include ancient drama performances, children’s theater, events related to the 200th anniversary of the 1821 Greek War of Independence, Greek music concerts; screenings of Greek movies and short films, dance performances and art installations.

In addition, on September 26, Elefsina will host the 6th half-marathon race titled “On the Traces of Iera Odos”. The 21km race will start from the Keramikos Archaeological Museum in Athens and finish at Iroon Square in Elefsina.

A 5km race will also take place in the city.

Poseidonia 2021 Events – Achaia

Patra, Achaia Photo Source: western-greece.com

Organized for a 16th year, the Poseidonia 2021 events include a number of cultural festivals and sports activities scheduled to take place in late August and early September in the cities of Patra and Aigio in the region of Achaia.

Among them are 16th International Festival of Traditional Dances that will take place in Patra and Aigio during August 26-30; the 1st International Gastronomy Festival (Aigio, August 27-28); the International Beach Volley Tournament (Aigio, August 28-29) and the 3rd European Children’s Festival of Traditional Dances (Aigio, September 1-4).

Participants will come from Greece and other European countries, as well as from Aftica Asia, and South America.

Patmos Sacred Music Festival 2021

The GNTO has also set the 19th Patmos Sacred Music Festival under its auspices.

The festival will take place in the outdoor area of the Cave of the Apocalypse during August 27-29. It will open with a concert by Greek soprano Sonia Theodoridou who will perform the “Hymns of the Angels to Human Rythms”, a work composed by Stavros Kougioumtzis.

Moreover, the festival will host the world premiere of Theodoros Orfanidis’ work titled “200 years / Waiting for the Victory to come…”, that is dedicated to Greece’s bicentennial celebrations od the 1821 Greek Revolution.