Athens is a historic and beautiful city. They have so much to celebrate all year long, whether you want to enjoy some music, dance the night away, try some of the local cuisine, or see a film. From the Feast of St. Basil in January to the Panorama of European Cinema in December, you will find something you like.
The people of the city of Athens enjoys their music, movies, food, and drinks, so many of the festivals seem to be focused on one or more of these. This is good because we all like music, movies, food, and drinks! To have a hassle-free time at the festivals, drop off shopping parcels and backpacks at an Athens suitcase storage locker before going.
January
- Feast of St. Basil
On the first of January, the Feast of St. Basil is celebrated to honor the bishop of Caesarea Mazaca, who was born in 330 AD and dedicated his life to helping others. Many people celebrate at home with huge family get-togethers but in Athens, you can find dozens of parades, feasts, and celebrations all over the city.
February
- Apokries
The Greek carnival, Apokries, is celebrated all over Athens, and you can find many festivals starting in February and on into March. They have giant parades with huge floats, dancing, drinking, eating, and games for everyone. It typically starts three weeks before Easter and continues until Shrove Monday.
March
- Shrove Monday
Shrove Monday is also known as Clean Monday, Pure Monday, or Ash Monday. It is celebrated on the Monday before Ash Wednesday and usually includes outdoor festivities like parades, picnics, and kite flying. This takes place all over the city.
- Independence Day
Greek Independence Day is a national holiday that has been celebrated on March 25th every year since 1821. Parades are a tradition that dates back to the 1875 army parade in front of the palace. Now it takes place along Vasilissis Sofias Avenue with a service at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
April
- Athens Science Festival
The first week of April, the Athens Science Festival comes to the Technopolis City of Athens. It features workshops and activities for kids, adults, and teachers. Each year, there is a different theme. Some of the past themes include artificial intelligence, environmental science, robotics, astronomy, and computer vision.
May
- Athens Video Art Festival
If you enjoy digital culture like film, web art, and animation check out the Athens Video Art Festival in early May. Every year there is a different theme that features performances by Nonotak, Matthias Pintscher, and Moon Ribas. There are several venues including Megaron, Athens Airport, and the Syntagma Metro.
- Athens Jazz Festival
Thousands of Jazz lovers head to the Athens Technopolis again in late May for the Athens Jazz Festival. They boast over 250 bands, both Greek and International, as well as 2,850 musicians and 6,000 visitors per day. It lasts for a week and has food, fun, and of course, music.
- Athens Street Food Festival
Athens Street Food Festival takes place at Palio Amaxostasio of OSY the last weekend in May. From traditional Greek food like courgette balls, gyros, and moussaka to International foods from all over, you will find a bit of everything to enjoy. Adult beverages as well as kid-friendly choices are available too.
June
- EJEKT Festival
With famous bands like the Red-Hot Chili Peppers, the Cure, and Chain, the EJEKT Festival is one of the biggest music festivals in Europe. Held in Markopoulo Park in late June, you can expect thousands of people, lots of partying, all sorts of drinks, and great food.
July
- Aegean Film Festival
Do you like movies? Check out the Aegean Film Festival on Patmos and Paros Islands in mid-July. The festival gives filmmakers the opportunity to show their new work to the public. This includes short films, feature fiction, and documentaries. It lasts for three days and includes food, drinks, and a lot of fun.
- International Andros Festival
At the end of July, the International Andros Festival puts on 75 theater events for locals and visitors to enjoy. From Greek music concerts to theatrical plays and dance performances to orchestra music, there is a bit of everything at this festival next to the Voulgaris building at Andros Outdoor Theater.
August
- Pulsar Festival
The Pulsar Festival is a celebration of new age, experimental, electronica, post-rock, and punk music and art. Samothraki Island makes a beautiful setting for this amazing music fest. Enjoy food, drinks, dancing, and yoga workshops throughout the early August weekend as well.
September
- Beer Festival
If you like beer, head to the Beer Festival at Kotzia Square in Athens the first week of September. With hundreds of types of beer from Greek breweries, microbreweries, and imported beers, you will have a huge selection of choices. The food is great too with traditional Greek as well as pizza, Italian, Asian, and Burgers.
- Burger Fest
Everyone loves burgers. In fact, many people eat them every day because they love them so much. The Athens Burger Fest celebrates the burger in mid-September. From gourmet to classic and even vegan, you can get your burger any way you like it. The cost of admission even includes a beer!
October
- Avant-Garde Film Festival
The Avant-Garde Film Festival is celebrated in late October at the Greek Film Archive. The program typically includes films by new artists as well as some classics. Tributes to several filmmakers are held every year as well. Besides film, you can also see and hear musicals, book readings, documentaries, and more.
November
- Athens Marathon
At Panathenaic Stadium, which was built in 330 BC and is where the first Olympic games were held in 1869, the Athens Marathon happens every year on the second Sunday in November. They also have an Expo at the TaeKwonDo Olympic Venue before the race and other activities at several other venues in Athens.
December
- Athens Con
The first weekend of December, join other comic lovers at AthensCon to see thousands of comics, movies, games, and collectibles. The huge convention at the TaeKwonDo Olympic Stadium welcomes people of all ages. Meet writers, actors, and other celebrities and play new video games for free.
- Panorama of European Cinema
Enjoy an awards ceremony in early December at the Panorama of European Cinema where you may see big stars like Hugh Hudson, Francis Ford Coppola, and Paolo Taviani. The program is held at Andora and Trianon film theaters and lasts for two weeks and features movies like Death Watch, Worlds Apart, and Pauline at the Beach.
No matter which month you visit Athens, there is a festival or celebration of some kind. This is just a small list of what they offer. Be sure to check out the local parks and cultural centers for more information. And don’t forget to take lots of pics for social media sharing.
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