What's On in Cyprus: The Year's Festivals Month by Month

There is almost always something happening in Cyprus, from a village saint's day fair to a city-wide carnival. This calendar sets out the main festivals month by month. Dates move each year, especially those linked to Orthodox Easter, so always confirm on our events page or the organiser's website before you go.

Which festival dates move each year?

Several of the biggest events follow Orthodox Easter:

These dates are calculated from the Orthodox calendar. Event programmes are announced by the organisers closer to the time.

January

• Epiphany (6 January): A public holiday. Priests bless the waters, and at seaside towns a cross is thrown into the sea for swimmers to retrieve.
• St Basil's Day (1 January): Families cut the vasilopita cake, and whoever finds the coin is lucky for the year.
• Troodos snow: The ski season on Mount Olympus usually runs from about January to March, depending on snowfall.

February and March

• Carnival season: Tsiknopempti barbecues, then ten days of parades and parties, biggest in Limassol. See our Limassol Carnival guide and Tsiknopempti guide.
• Green Monday: A public holiday that starts Lent, celebrated with countryside picnics and kite flying.
• Wild Tulip Festival, Polemi: A spring flower festival in the Paphos hills, usually in March.
• 25 March: Greek Independence Day, with school parades.

April and May

• 1 April: Cyprus National Day, with school parades.
• Orthodox Easter: Holy Week processions, midnight services, bonfires and flaounes. In 2027, Easter falls in early May. See Easter in Cyprus.
• Anthestiria flower festivals: Floral parades in towns, traditionally held in May.
• 1 May: Labour Day public holiday.

June

• Kataklysmos: The Festival of the Flood, 50 days after Easter, with a week-long seaside fair on Larnaca's Foinikoudes promenade. In 2027 it falls in late June. See our Kataklysmos guide.
• Ancient drama season: Performances of ancient Greek drama usually run at the Kourion theatre and the Paphos Odeon in June and July. See our Kourion guide.

July and August

• Larnaca Summer Festival: Open-air concerts and performances through July.
• Village festivals: Mountain villages hold fairs, concerts and food festivals throughout summer, when the hills are cooler than the coast.
• 15 August: The Dormition of the Virgin Mary, a public holiday. Many villages hold a panigyri (saint's day fair) with stalls, music and food. Kykkos and other monasteries draw large crowds. See our Kykkos guide.

September and October

• Pafos Aphrodite Festival: An open-air opera performance staged in front of Paphos Castle, usually in September.
• Limassol Wine Festival: Usually late September to early October, with wine tastings and music.
• Grape harvest: Wine villages celebrate the harvest. See our wine routes guide.
• 1 October: Cyprus Independence Day public holiday.
• Kyperounta Apple Festival: A harvest festival in the Troodos, usually in October.
• 28 October: Greek National Day (Ochi Day) public holiday, with parades.
• Olive and food festivals: Many villages hold harvest and food fairs in October.

November

• Zivania festivals: Villages celebrate distilling season with tastings and demonstrations. Learn more in our zivania guide.
• Olive harvest: Families gather to pick olives. Some agrotourism hosts welcome guests. See agrotourism in Cyprus.

December

• Christmas markets: Towns and villages hold markets and light displays through December. See our Christmas markets guide.
• Kyperounta Christmas Village: A mountain Christmas village in the Troodos. See our Kyperounta guide.
• 25–26 December: Christmas and Boxing Day public holidays.

Practical tips

1. Check dates every year: Easter-linked events move by weeks. Programmes for other festivals are usually released a few weeks ahead.
2. Expect road closures: Big parades close main roads. Park away from the centre or take the bus. See our public transport guide.
3. Book early for holidays: Village accommodation fills up around Easter and 15 August.
4. Bring cash: Village fairs and stalls may not take cards.
5. Know the public holidays: Banks and government offices close. See our national holidays guide.

What to do next

• Bookmark our events page for this month's listings.
• Explore Cyprus's UNESCO World Heritage sites between festivals.
• Planning family outings? See things to do with kids in Cyprus, by district.