29th Ayia Napa International Festival

The Ayia Napa Festival is, undoubtedly, the most popular and well anticipated event that takes place in the tourist resort of Ayia Napa, and one of the most famous events of the island. The first festival took place in September 1985 and has since been established as an annual event. It is always the last week of September, in order to coincide with the World Tourism Day. The festival is held at the Seferis Square of Ayia Napa and around the historical monastery. The festival has festive events, which reflecting the historical, cultural and agricultural traditions of Ayia Napa and all of Cyprus. Visitors have the opportunity to learn the traditions and customs of the local people, the musical traditions and folk art and especially to enjoy the warm Cypriot hospitality. During these festivities, Ayia Napa is visited by thousands of people from Cyprus and abroad. The program includes, among others, theatrical performances, concerts and Cypriot and foreign folk dancing.

Within the framework of the festival are organised plenty of events such as exhibitions of paintings and photographs of contemporary and earlier life in Cyprus as well as exhibitions of shells, flowers and butteflies. Moreover, agricultural fairs are organised by the Ministry of Agriculture. In addition, are presented and demonstrated events that highlighting the traditional crafts such as woodcarving, silversmithing, coating, silk, dermatotechnia, basketmaking, pottery and more. The area of the country house-farmhouse (Agrotospito) in the central square of Ayia Napa operates as an exhibition place with all the appropriate equipment, furniture, agricultural tools, household structure and decoration of a traditional Cypriot house of the 19th century. In the courtyard of the farmhouse there are demonstrations of various municipal, rural and agricultural occupations such as manufacturing zivania, halloumi cheese, macaroni, salted meat, bread and ‘palouzes’. These events created a warm atmosphere that reflects the friendliness and hospitality of the people of Ayia Napa.

Programme

Friday 27 September 2013

19:30
Introduction by the Philharmonic Band of the Cyprus Police Force and the Ayia Napa Municipal Dancing Group.

20:00
Opening ceremony.

20:30
Address by the Mayor of Ayia Napa Mr Yiannis Karousos and by the Honorable Minister of Communications & Works Mr Tasos Mitsopoulos.

Fireworks

20:50
"A Journey of my life through the Earth and Water" - Dancing–Musical Performance with the Greek Singer Panayiotis Lalezas and the Ayia Napa Municipal Dancing and Music Group

22:00
"Sipan" Armenian Traditional Dancing Group

22:30
"Orfeas" Dancing Group from the Twin Town Metallostroy - Saint Petersburg

Saturday 28 September 2013

20:00
"It smells jasmine all through the night" - Aglantzia Municipal Choir (Conductor Glykeria Andreou) and Philharmonic Band of the Cyprus Police Force (Conductor Georges Adamou)

20:45
Municipal Dancing Group of Ioannina (Greece)

21:30
Concert with the Greek Famous Singer MARIOS FRANGOULIS

Sunday 29 September 2013

19:45
Fire Show

19:55
"Tribute to the Music of Mikis Theodorakis" - Musical Group of the Ayia Napa Cultural Association "Cavo Greco" and "Rymvos" Dancing Group and Sotira Municipal Choir.

20:55
"Music-Dance Traditional passages" - Musical-Dance Performance with the Dancing Groups "Kimon" Xylotymbou & Ayia Napa Municipal Dancing Group.

22:15
Declaration of the 30th Ayia Napa International Festival 2014

22:20
"Romiosini" - The Cyprus Georgian Folk Dance Ensemble presents dances from Georgia, Ponto and Greek.

KARAGIOZIS CORNER

Friday 27 September 2013

19:30 – 20:00 "Karagkiozis and the Minautaur"
The Pasha gives orders that whoever kills the Minautaur, who terrifies the country will get his daughter as a prize and lots of money. After many attempts from the show's heroes, someone manages to kill it and someone else gets the credit for it. Will he remained unpunished?

Saturday 28 September 2013

19:30 – 20:00 "The Eerie Tree"
Hadjiavatis declares to all citizens that the tree in the town square has become haunted and that no one is allowed to pass below it. As expected through the declaration wasn't followed and one by one the stars of the show walk under the tree and are transformed into different animals. Karagkiozis tries to transform them back into humans.

Sunday 29 September 2013

19:30 – 20:00 "Karakgiozis as a servant"
Karagkiozis is hired as a servant at the Palace. One of his chores is to report at the Pasha the grooms to be but at the end Veziropoula - the Pasha's daughter falls for Karagkiozis...

Shadow Theatre with Christodoulos Pafios

EXHIBITIONS

1. Exhibition of the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment with agricultural products and Flowers.
2. Exhibition of the Department of Cyprus Handicraft of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Tourism.
3. Exhibition of the Department of Antiquities of the Ministry of Communications and Works "Cyprus Traditional Ceramic Art".
4. Exhibition of Maps and Engravings from the collections of the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation.
5. Exhibition of the Forestry Department "Flora, Fauna and Environment of Cyprus".
6. Ayia Napa Municipality Photography Exhibition: "Ayia Napa of the past and the present".
7. Hagiography Exhibition, Painting Exhibition and Pottery Exhibition by Nicolas Papangelis and Kerameas Workshop.
8. Painting Exhibition by the Open School of Ayia Napa Municipality.
9. Exhibition by Painting & Hagiography School Christos Pitsillos.
10. Painting Exhibition "Soulart" Healing the heart of Cyprus by Catt Kyriacou.
11. Painting Exhibition on the ceramics, sea stones and natural materials "Freedom in Imagination" by Karima Ben Otman.
12. Sculpture - Pottery Exhibition "Hope hidden in the small things" by Joanna Malgorzata
13. Handmade Art and Crafts Exhibition (small frames, albums, jewellery and more) with painting, collage using various materials, embroidery, etc. by Georgia Alexandrou
14. Art Glass exhibition - Fused glass and metal - by Maria Voniatou Tsiambarta, All Glass.
15. Hand woven exclusive designs made by Julia Astreou-Christoforou.
16. Creations Exhibition "Para thin alos - Next to the sea" with boats and mirrors, using creative colors, materials and natural gifts of the sea by Christina Mina.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

At the venue of the Festival the Cyprus Traditional Farmhouse (Agrotospito) will be open as an exhibition place with all the equipment, furniture, agricultural tools and interior decoration of a Traditional Cypriot House.

In the garden of the rural home there will be an exhibition of various household, rural and agricultural activities such as the making of zivania, halloumi, macaroni, salted meat, bread and palouzes. There will also be exhibitions of traditional art such as wood works, silversmiths, tinning, silk worms, leatherworks, basket making, pottery etc.