Upcoming village spring festivals around the island

Spring is the season to hit the road. Before the summer’s long-awaited music festivals begin, local organisations, artists and communities organise their own festivals in Cyprus’ villages celebrating local produce, animal life and art. This May, several independent mini-festivals are taking place in rural locations.

The Mural Festival 2023 will take followers to not one, but three villages, on three different occasions. Part one of the festival already took place in Anogyra village and its next stop is Prastio Avdimou from Friday to Sunday before the festival travels to Farmakas in August. With the theme of Love, the Mural Festival was created by visual artist Anthi Pafiou to celebrate life and spread love, through the promotion of the peculiarities of each community, having as a medium art and creation.

This artistic activity consists of three-day mural painting workshops for children, which will be held in the three mountain communities of Cyprus by Pafiou. As its aim, the festival hopes to raise awareness on the role of artists in society and the impact of artistic work, to spread creativity in the rural areas of the island giving the opportunity to children to paint the walls of the community and to bring people closer to mountainous regions.

Also happening this week is the Kivides Spring Fest on Saturday which invites visitors to the Limassol district village for a full day of fun. The spring fair at the St Panteleimon Church Hall will run from 11am to 8pm featuring 80 local brand shops, four inflatables for children, stilt walkers, juggles, face painting, an arts and crafts corner as well as a small farm with animals.

On Sunday, Paradiso di Eros in the village of Foinikaria will host a Beer Festival from 12pm to 10pm. The day will be filled with a variety of beers from the best breweries, delicious food, DJs to lift spirits and games in a beautiful location with a stunning nature view. Entrance to the festival costs €15 and includes one pint of beer.

If it is seasonal delights you are after, the 15^th Agros Rose Festival will continue its festivities on Saturday and Sunday with a series of events. All weekend long, the village will host dance and music performances, live demonstrations of rosewater distillation and even early morning rose collection from the fields.

Lastly, on the occasion of the World Bee Day Celebration, Ora village in mountainous Larnaca will once again organise the Bee Festival on Sunday. From 10.30am to 6pm, a festival for the whole family is planned at the village centre. Supported by the deputy ministry of tourism, the day will feature interactive workshops and presentations, while more than 30 exhibitors dedicated to the protection of the bee and its offerings will fill up the village.

Mural Festival 2023

Art festival by Anthi Pafiou. May 19-21. Prastio Avdimou. August 4-6. Farmakas. Tel: 97-745129. [email protected]

Kivides Spring Fest

Fair with art stalls and kid’s entertainment. May 20. St Panteleimon Church Hall, Kivides village. 11am-8pm

Beer Festival

Beer, food, drinks and music. May 21. Paradiso di Eros, Foinikaria village. 12pm-10pm. €15

15^th Agros Rose Festival

Rose-themed events, food, performances and activities. May 20-21. Agros village, Limassol. Tel: 25-521333

Bee Festival

Celebrating World Bee Day. Exhibition, activities, food and workshops. May 21. Ora village. Larnaca. 10.30am-6pm