A Celebration of Culture, Creativity and Community: This is Athens-City Festival 2024
The electrifying This is Athens City Festival kicks off on May 1 and keeps the party going all the way until June 2. This isn’t just an event; it’s a movement. A gathering of like-minded souls coming together to celebrate diversity and the rich tapestry of our Athenian community. Whether you’re a local or just visiting, the This is Athens City Festival promises an experience filled with joy, inspiration, and maybe even a little bit of magic. Your ticket to connect, participate, and learn while enjoying the vibrant mix of cultures that call our community home. Expect free activities from skateboarding to neighborhood strolls with Loukanikos, Exarcheia’s mascot, queer films, street food fairs, literary salons, etching workshops, museum visits, wine tastings and so much more! The start of the This is Athens – City Festival on the green grass with live music and DJ sets from the producers of HiT 88.9, En Lefko 87.7 and RED 96.3. Activities for all ages with educational workshops, a kite show, musical performances and screenings. Celebrate May Day and the start of the This is Athens – City Festival at the Athens Urban Picnic. We’ll be on the lawn all day in the Park at Plato’s Academy, one of the most historic and less explored neighborhoods of Athens where spring will finally triumph over winter. Spend an unforgettable May Day with Athens in bloom! Where: Plato’s Academy Park The National Historical Museum participates again this year in the This is Athens – City Festival with guided tours of its periodic exhibition entitled “From Greater…. to Contemporary Greece (Part B): The Refugees”. The exhibition presents the refugee movement through the stories that occupy the people in the difficult position of leaving their ancestral homes. The objects and photographs concern subjects such as forced flight, the difficulties of movement, reception, settlement, trauma management, integration in the new homeland, and memory. The exhibition presents photographs, historical documents, and objects from the museum’s collections as well as collaborating institutions, framed by testimonies, published stories, as well as original videos. Where: National Historical Museum Also on May 9, 16, 19, 25, 26 The remains of monuments and settlements from Byzantine Athens create a fragmented mosaic. The basic components of the city included the natural environment, the half-demolished ancient walls, the monuments and ruins of antiquity, the rock of the Acropolis where the Parthenon had become the Churcha of Panagia Athiniotissa, and the neighborhoods with their elegant Byzantine temples. The small Middle Byzantine churches survive to this day to tell fascinating micro-stories. Starting with the church of Agia Ekaterini that is submerged in time, and ending with a church that hides a treasure, we will reconstruct step by step the lost Byzantine city, using engravings, historical maps and written sources! Meeting point: Makrygiannis statue, opposite the Acropolis Museum The Unseen Museum is the well-known exhibition project of the National Archaeological Museum of Athens that brings to the fore antiquities stored in its vaults away from the visitor’s eyes. The Unseen Museum presents for the first time the “stele of the twin babies”. It is a fragment of a funerary monument found in a torrent at Menidi, Attica and delivered to the Museum in November 2008 by a destitute. The fragment preserves in relief two bundled twin babies in the arms of a female figure and is probably part of a tombstone that would have been erected on the grave of a woman who died in childbirth. This is the only surviving funerary relief of the ancient Greek world depicting twin babies in the same arms, which indicates their common fate as orphans. Where: National Archaeological Museum When the Athens Street Food Festival first opened its doors in 2016, the philosophy of street food was practically unknown in Greece. Its success sparked a movement with restaurants and chefs throughout the country offering their own take. Every country, region, and city has their own cuisine and tastes to enjoy in the “street”. The 7th Athens Street Food Festival will once again present the most exciting and innovative ideas from the street cuisines of the world. Where: Old Depot OSY The Narratologies team presents a hybrid game based on the unique Athens Street Art scene. Follow in the pawprints of Loukanikos, the beloved Athenian dog, on an one-of-a-kind street art-themed treasure hunt throughout Athens. Loukanikos, immortalized in numerous graffiti and street art pieces across the city, has achieved legendary status, making him the perfect guide to the rich and multifaceted Athenian Street Art Scene. Μeeting point: Monastiraki Square Agia (Santa) Fanfara is an orchestra of brass and percussion instruments composed of musicians and friends who are based in Athens. Their repertoire includes traditional tunes and contemporary songs from Greece, the Balkans, and the Eastern Mediterranean. They are known for performances that are vivid as well as humorous, creating a festive mood and crazy fun! Where: Monastiraki Square One of the most beautiful and underappreciated squares in Athens will be transformed into a unique outdoor club by the Street Outdoors team. They are also performing on May 18 at Parko Eleftherias. Where: Koumoudourou Square Against the backdrop of the Roman Agora and beneath the Holy Rock of the Acropolis, Ukrainian pianist Lubomyr Melnyk demonstrates his talent and mastery through highlights of his career. The piano converses with the rhythm of the city, creating a unique musical journey through classical sounds. One of the fastest pianists in the world, the concfert promises to be a truly unique musical experience. Where: Roman Agora of Athens Piano City Athens returns with more than 100 concerts for another year as part of the This is Athens – City Festival. Expect three days full of music with acclaimed artists, rising stars, as well as students playing piano in the parks, squares, streets, museums, hospitals, conservatories, schools, and homes all over Athens. Piano recital, in collaboration with the Alpha Conservatory, Athens. The Antivirus magazine team honors this year’s IDAHOBIT with a three-day LGBTQI+ film festival. The films will be subtitled in both Greek and English and the screenings will take place at the historic Trianon cinema. This year’s Queer Movie Nights will present films with themes such as sports, family, refugee and masculinity, all with a focus on the LGBTQI+ community. In an effort to support the work of queer artists in Greece, Queer Movie Nights will host the Greek Section to let the public choose the best Greek LGBTQI+ short film. Where: Trianon Cinema he exhibition “Alex Mylonas: By Hand” is the first in a series of exhibitions showcasing female sculptors and organized by the Alex Mylonas Museum in 2024. Over 100 works by Alex Mylonas make up the universe of the sculptor who made innovation an absolute priority in her work. The artist channeled her energy, strength and vitality into her creative career from 1950 to 2000. The museum that bears the name of its founder belongs to the family of the Metropolitan Organization of Museums of Fine Arts of Thessaloniki, MOMus, and is housed in two listed buildings in the area of Thision where visitors have a wonderful view of the Acropolis. Tours will be offered in Greek (May 16) and English (May 23). Where: ΜΟΜus-Museum Alex Mylona A high-level skateboarding tournament with professional and amateur athletes. The square opposite the Athens City Hall will be transformed into a skate park with concerts, DJs, street food, and fun for everyone. Where: Kotzia Square An original and impressive “fashion” event with museum masterpieces of folk art taking place in the heart of Plaka. The pedestrian street of Lysiou is filled with glamor from another era, as the space is flooded with costumes from the unique collection of the Dora Stratou Theatre. The public will have the opportunity to see the collection up close and get to know about 30 impressive costumes from the largest collection of this kind in terms of size and value, which highlights the rich tradition of our country in a unique way. The event will be musically accompanied by the sounds of traditional music from all over Greece. Where: Klepsydras & Lysiou, Plaka A historical stroll in Pagrati that transports us to the WWII era. Starting with the arrival of the Asia Minor refugees, we attempt to examine the character of the neighbourhood, the people who lived there, and their relationships with the new inhabitants. We witness the development of the first resistance centers, the key figures who played leading roles, clashes between ELAS and the X organization, and we explore some of the main events that defined daily life during the Nazi Occupation of Pangrati. Where: Platia Mesologgiou, Pangrati The 23rd Athens Jazz is back, more dynamic and subversive than ever, at the Technopolis City of Athens, with exciting happenings full of music, side events and many more to be enjoyed by all. The music festival, which is the established meeting point of jazz fans in Athens and beyond, gives us for the 23rd consecutive year the opportunity to enjoy world-famous names, budding jazz artists and up-and-coming bands as well as the latest in the local jazz scene. The largest jazz music festival in Greece will gather again this year a significant number artists from all over the world on the main stage of Technopolis, creating a highly diverse line up that expresses the absolute character of jazz that knows no borders. Where: Technopolis City of Athens Discover the monuments of Byzantine and Ottoman Athens. Reconstruct the history of the city and learn the stories of its people, institutions and habits. Points of interest during the route including: Kapnikarea (Byzantine Church), Gorgoepikoos (Byzantine Church), Benizelou-Palaiologou Mansion (“the oldest house of Athens”, 18th century), Hadrian’s Library (site of the Ottoman upper marketplace), Monastiraki Square (site of the lower marketplace), Church of Pantanassa, Tzistarakis Mosque, Roman Agora, Fetihie Mosque, Tower of the Winds (tekke of the Dervishes, 18th century), Mendrese Gate, the Bath Ηouse of the Winds, Kleanthis House (Athens University History Museum), Church of Agioi Anargyroi (Metochi of the Holy Sepulcher), Agios Ioannis Theologos (Byzantine Church), Agios Nikolaos Ragavas (Byzantine Church), Monument of Lysikrates, Agia Aikaterini. The tour will be conducted by Tonia Kafetzaki. Mrs. Kafetzaki is a historian and educator who has written two books about Athens. Meeting point: Kapnikarea Church Shedia is the city’s first street magazine and a leading organization that supports social inclusion by giving the city’s homeless a means to take back their lives. Celebrating 11 action-packed years, Shedia takes over the pedestrian streets around Shedia Home, the cafe in the heart of Athens where we can all join the work of building a more resilient and just society. Beloved radio DJs, activities for young and old, art exhibits and culinary surprises will create an incredible farewell to This is Athens – City Festival. Where: Shedia Home The historical walk organized by the Archives of Contemporary Social History (ASKI) is a living narrative of the anti-dictatorship struggle in the capital during the period of the military dictatorship (1967-1974). The walk begins from the historic Polytechnic University, a symbol of the student uprising in November 1973, the culmination of the anti-dictatorship struggle and a crossroads for the relations between the military regime and Greek society. Where: National Technical University of Athens, Patission 42, Athens The summer cinema comes to Eleftherias Park with some of the memorable moments of Greek cinema. Under the stars, on the grass, we’ll travel through the screen to explore the seventh art in its Greek variations. Where: Parko Eleftherias The Street Art Walks will tour three characteristic Athenian neighborhoods – Psirri, Exarchia, Metaxourgeio – to discover iconic street art and graffiti that give a special color to each area. Through discussion of the critical approach to each of these works, especially their relationship with the city and its inhabitants, we will become familiar with the artists who have helped define the aesthetic experience of modern Athens. Street art is perhaps the most dynamic artistic movement today and one of the main shapers of contemporary urban visual culture. The artists work upon the walls and surfaces of our cities while at the same time sending messages and communicating their feelings and ideas. Where: Psirri, Exarchia, Metaxourgeio When: May 22, 25, 29 The Katakouzenos House Museum is opening its doors to the public with a guided tour to celebrate This is Athens – City Festival. The Katakouzenos House long had an important role in the intellectual life of Athens. The former owners of the house, Angelos and Leto Katakouzenos, belonged to the intellectual elite of their times, the so-called generation of the 30s. When traveling abroad, they were cultural ambassadors for Greece. In their home country, they were arbiters of international taste. The family hosted many visitors of international fame, and the house contains a collection of works by some the most important Greek and international artists of the time. Where: A. & L. Katakouzenos Foundation An exclusive tour of the museum that ends with an excellent menu paired with incredible wine. Where: National Gallery A street party by Reverb, the promoters of alternative culture who know how to deliver a great event. A unique party from the group “11 Athens” on an unknown urban balcony near Galatsi that will make us dance along with the Attic sunset. The biggest promoters of Athens join forces to create one of the top moments of the This is Athens – City Festival 2024, turning the most impressive urban balcony into an incredible dance floor. For more info and a detailed programme of all events, visit: thisisathensMay 1:
Athens Urban Picnic in the Park at Plato’s Academy
May 2:
‘From Greater… to Contemporary Greece: The Refugees’ Exhibition Tour
May 2:
Embrace of the Castle: Recreating the fragmented mosaic of Byzantine Athens
May 9:
The Unseen Museum: The stele of the twin babies
May 10-26:
Athens Street Food Festival 2024
May 10, 17, 24
Street Art Treasure Hunt alongside Loukanikos, the sausage dog
May 11:
Santa Fanfara
May 12:
Street Outdoors Party at Koumoundourou Square
May 15:
Lubomyr Melnyk live at the Roman Agora
May 16-20:
Piano City Athens
Queer Movie Nights at Trianon Cinema
Selection of International queer films
Selections of Greek queer films
May 16 & 23:
Guided tours in Alex Mylonas’ exhibition “Βy hand”
May 18:
Flare the Square Skateboarding Contest
May 19:
On the Runway with Traditional Costumes from the Dora Stratou Theatre
May 25:
Athens History Walks: Pangrati during the Occupation
May 26 – June 3
Athens Jazz 2024
May 26:
Routes in Byzantine and Ottoman Athens
May 26:
Shedia Home Street Party
Landmarks of the anti-dictatorial struggle in the Athens of the junta
May 27-30:
Greek Cinema Nights
May 28
Athens Literary Salon
Athens Insider presents an exciting line-up of speakers at the Athens Literary Salon touching on a wide range of subjects – conservation, history, poetry and Greek folk music – while underpinning their deep connection with Greece. British writer and passionate conservationist Julian Hoffman will be in conversation with acclaimed writer and anthropologist Sofka Zinovieff at 6 pm. Poet and translator Joshua Barley dives into the centuries-old oral tradition of Greek folk songs and speaks to award-winning biographer and curator Ian Collins at 7.30 pm. The two discussions will be interspersed with a wine tasting courtesy of Wines of Athens.May 29:
Athens Street Art Walk
The Katakouzenos House Guided Tour
Food & Wine with a tour of the National Gallery
May 31:
Victoria Square Party
June 1:
Attiko Alsos Sunset Street Party at Tourkovounia
June 2:
Athens All Star Party on top of Mount Lycabettus
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