Wine Festival “Drink Wine For better Life”
Its that time of year again when Limassol Municipality and the big wine producers hold the annual Wine Festival in Limassol Municipal Gardens. Those that have been before know that this is the event of the year; for those who have not it is well worth a visit to experience why the festival attracts an annual attendance of over 100,000 visitors; not just from all over the island of Cyprus but from abroad as well..
So what is the Cyprus Wine Festival? First held in 1961 the Wine Festival is an annual event held
primarily to celebrate wine and wine making in Cyprus. Attendees pay a small entrance fee to access the event and from then on the wine is supplied for free with the compliments of Limassol Municipality and the four big wineries (KEO, SODAP, ETKO and LOEL). There are also numerous smaller independent wine producers in attendance showcasing their wares through free wine tasting.
It’s not just about the wine. The festival has been become synonymous with merrymaking. Festival goers attending the Municipal Gardens through the south gate will pass under the giant statue of a village wine maker dressed in the traditional Cypriot costume. This has been the symbol of the wine festival since 1961, welcoming everybody to the festivities. Inside the gate are the pavilions of the large wine producers. Once inside the wine flows for free. There are numerous stalls and places to eat traditional Cypriot dishes and mezes at reasonable prices. The evenings entertainment features live music, traditional dancing, theatre performances and, for those who feel the urge, grape treading.
The Wine Festival has become established as a major cultural event for Limassol and the organisers tell us that
“Since ancient times Cyprus became a festivity place to celebrate the production of wine. The Wine Festival in Limassol may be considered a variation of the ancient festivities, a revival of the ancestor worship and rites in the honour of Dionysus, the god of vine and wine and Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love. In the antiquity our ancestors worshipped this god and goddess by drinking wine, which rejoiced them. While making sacrifices, gods received the smell while man ate the meat. Wine accompanied and corroborated the banquet. The gods high on Olympus Mountain enjoyed the nectar, which is the quintessence of wine. In ancient Greece the wine became the drink of gods and man”
The Cyprus wine industry is well worth celebrating. The island is renowned for its wine with a wine making tradition dating backat least 5,500 years. The industry has grown and developed and today contributes significantly to the Cyprus economy in terms of cultivation, production, employment, export and tourism. Most wine production remains
based on a few varieties of local grapes such as Mavro and Xynisteri although international varieties are also cultivated. Wine production has shaped the Cyprus countryside and there are some fantastic wine tours through the wine villages of Limassol District. Anybody who wants to learn more about the history Cyprus wine and wine making should visit the Cyprus Wine Museum in Erimi which numerous artifacts and documents on display.
The Cyprus Wine Festival, Limassol 2015 will be held from 27th August to 6th September. The Municipality provides free parking at the Municipal Garden Theatre’s eastern side. The Cyprus Tourism Organisation also provides free transportation by air conditioned bus from Paphos, Nicosia, Larnaca and Ayia Napa. The programme, bus timetables and further information can be found on the Limassol municipality website at Municipality website at Limassol Municipality or by contacting the Cyprus Tourism Organisation
Opening hours:
7.00 p.m. – 11.00 p.m.
Friday/Saturday: 7.00 p.m. – 11.30 p.m.
