Timeline Of Annual Events In Rhodes

There’s something about the Mediterranean air, perhaps, which imparts a distinct joie de vivre to everything and everybody along the coasts. The Dodecanese Islands are no exception- the people like to wine and dine, sing and dance; and their local festivals are colourful enough to amuse even the most jaded of travellers.

The pre-Lent Carnival, known as Apokries, is a three-week affair marked by feasting, music and dancing, with people dressing up in costumes and playing practical jokes on all and sundry. It’s really quite a free-for-all, when the islanders let their hair down. Easter celebrations, in contrast, are suitably subdued, although painted Easter eggs, feasting, processions and music are an integral part of the festivities.  

Rhodes hosts a series of wine festivals during summer, and the Dodecanese island of Simi is host to a marathon cultural festival known as the Simi Festival, stretching from June to September. The Simi Festival features dance, theatre, music, and storytelling, with artistes from Greece and abroad performing at Simi and on neighbouring isles.

In July and August, the medieval castle of the Knights at Kos is the venue for the Hippokrateia Festival, a celebration of art, dance and music; the festival is named for Hippocrates, who was a native of Kos.