Don’t miss these November festivals
November is the most appropriate month for excursions to mountains and valleys, to warm mountain taverns and inns, for culinary tourism, but also for agrotourism.
It is also the month of zivania and beer, as traditionally in recent years, two very popular celebrations will take place this month, the Double Zivania Festival in Alona and Pelendri, and the Pithari Festival in Koilani.
But, November is the month of fairy tales, and of mushrooms as well.
So, let’s take a look at the festivals for the month.
1st Nicosia International Festival
We will have the opportunity to watch large and international productions from Greece and abroad in Cyprus. But what definitely stands out and comes to bring an international air to our island is the new Nicosia International Festival with an unbelievably impressive program with over 20 major performances and other events focusing on the capital’s renewed Municipal Theatre. The festival will take place from October 13 to November 24 and will begin with Stamatis Spanoudakis’ big concert.
As part of the festival, we will have the opportunity to see the latest work of world-renowned choreographer Akram Khan and other great works from theatre, contemporary dance, and music.
>> October 13-November 24, Nicosia Municipal Theatre.
6th Fairy Tale Festival “A Thousand Ways to Tell It”
The Speech and Art Centre Technodromio and the Paramythodromio team are organising this year’s 6th in a series of Cyprus Fairy Tales festivals titled “A Thousand Ways to Tell It”, dedicated to the relationship between storytelling and fairy-tale art. How do other arts combine with oral narrative? How does the narrative of other arts (music, theatre, cinema, art, literature, and dance) contribute to oral narrative? Performances in Limassol, Ploumisto Psomi and Coffee Bar Sto Dromo (Limassol) and in Nicosia at the Strovolos Cultural Centre, includes narratives, workshops, and screenings.
>> Friday 1-Sunday 3 November & Friday 8- Sunday 11 November, various locations. Info 99526772.
Zivania Festival
A beautiful and successful institution is the Zivania Festival, organised for the tenth year this year in two beautiful villages of Pitsilia, in Alona and in the picturesque Pelendri. In Alona the celebration will take place on Sunday, November 3. Pelendri will be a week later, and will take place on the weekend of November 9 and 10. Both events attract a great deal of interest from locals and foreigners alike, giving them the opportunity to try traditional Zivania and vineyard products, to taste and enjoy music and dances of our country.
>> Sunday, November 3, Alona, Nicosia District, 11.00.
>> Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th November, Pelendri, Limassol District, 11:00.
The Mind, Body & Spirit Wellbeing Festival
On the weekend of November 9 and 10, all roads lead to the Filoxenia Convention Centre in Nicosia, where the Mind, Body & Spirit Wellbeing Festival will take place for another year. A festival full of (over 80) educational and alternative lectures, classes and workshops that will inspire and push you on your path to health, harmony and joy in life. It is an all-day festival (starting from 10.30am until 9pm) with admission being 10 euros per day (all lectures, lessons, workshops and performances are included).
>> Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 November, Filoxenia Convention Centre, Nicosia.
Dance Waves Festival
Nine projects by young artists are being organised this year at the Dance Waves Contemporary Dance Festival at the Engomi Cultural Centre in Nicosia. The festival, artistic curated by choreographer Elena Christodoulidou, will take place on November 9 and 10, featuring the works of five Cypriots and four invited foreign choreographers, namely from the Berlin Lucky Trimmer Festival. “Young creators present their work and their particular kinetic language in search of contact with a wide audience,” the organisers said. “The festival is characterised by the pluralism and distinctive approach of choreographers to the structure and style of works. Choreographers who, through their works, create landscapes, invite the public to dance indoors and follow the rhythms, tensions and understand the dimensions of contemporary dance today. “What we will see: From Greece dancers take part in the festival / choreographers Danae Dimitriadis and Dionysios Alamanos, who received the 1st prize at the Rotterdam International Choreography Duet Competition in the Netherlands and present their award-winning Uncia project. From France, Rebecca Ziournou participates with the project travels this time across many dance scenes in Europe, from Germany with Saskia Roudat to the brain-jogging project the dancer / choreographer was awarded the 2017 Best Performance at IX International SoloDuo festival. Nice to beat you duet by choreographer Gil Kerr from Israel was created in 2017 as part of Batsheva Ensemble create dancers each year since Gil was a dancer in the dance group Batsheva. Dancers / choreographers from Cyprus Fouli Stylianidou, Ivy Hatzivassiliou, Vicky Callas, Diamantos Hatzizacharya and Melina Sofokleous will also present their works.
>> Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th November, Engomi Cultural Centre, Nea Engomi 8, Nicosia. Performances start at 8pm. Info 22781104.
Pithari Festival in Koilani
Another traditional festival is added to the map of this year’s events in the different villages of Cyprus. In one of the most beautiful villages of Limassol, Koilani hosts a special festival every year. These are the Pythias, the opening of the wine caskets that is directly linked to the new wine harvest. The event is a revival of the ancient Pythias that were held in honour of Dionysus at the feast of the Anthestria. The wines of the new crop are inaugurated at the annual celebration of the Pithari wine festival, which will take place on Sunday, November 10th from 12:00-16:00 in the picturesque village of Koilani. This event is a celebration of wine as the caskets of the new harvest are inaugurated. The event is a historic and includes dances and songs. At the event there will be a lunch feast where you can enjoy souvlaki, sausage, halloumi, and as much wine as your appetite desires for free.
>> Sunday November 10th, Koilani, Limassol, 12:00-16:00.
Zivania Festival in Pedoulas
Marathasa valley’s head village, Pedoulas, this November invites us to learn how to make zivania in the courtyard of the Folklore Museum. On Sunday, November 17th from 10.00 to 15.00 we will have the opportunity to watch the traditional zivania distillation and taste the hot zivania from the cauldron. Traditional fruit and vegetable products will also be sold on site. Visitors will also have the opportunity to visit the local museums, the churches, and walk the nature trail leading to the chapel of the Virgin Mary of the North and stroll through the streets of the village. They will also admire the view from the various points of Pedoulas and enjoy their meal at one of the village’s restaurants. Eventually, the village dance group and choir, as well as the Aradippos-Karotseris dance group, will take perform.
>> Sunday November 17th, Folklore Museum, Pedoulas, Nicosia District, 10.00-15.00.
Zivania Day in Fikardou
Zivania is a traditional product produced on our island since the late 14th century. A unique product, intertwined with Cypriot tradition and Cypriot culture that cannot be produced in any other country. So it’s worth spending a day with Zivania! One day it will become an institution! Every fourth Sunday of November we will drink zivania in Fikardou. Zivania that will be made in the old cauldron of Gero-Hambis, Giannakos, Ioanna, Nikolis… We will start on Sunday, November 24, 2019. Following in the footsteps of our grandparents we will make zivania for everyone. Cauldrons of various dates will light up and you will have the opportunity to see how zivania is distilled and of course try it. And because “one day of zivania” is not enough, genuine zivania will be available for sale.
>> Sunday, November 24, Fikardou, Nicosia. Info 99193080.
Mushroom Festival
The 2nd Pancyprian Mushroom Festival is being held this year in the village of Spilia in Nicosia. There will be an exhibition and sale of mushroom products such as wild mushrooms and traditional dishes at the event. Mushrooms and forest friends will have the opportunity to learn about wild mushrooms, enjoy their walk in the village and exchange knowledge and experiences. Spilia is a beautiful village built in a unique location, in the lap of the mountain as it is surrounded by the dense Troodos forest.
>> Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th November, Spilia.
Note this too …
Mushroom Festival
Platres, November 29 & 30, December 1st
