This is a great day to be at any seaside town in Cyprus to celebrate the water festival. From Limassol, to Larnaca, Pafos, Ayia Napa and Protaras are all ready to celebrate a three day fair!
The roots of the festival are not known but many believe that it's ancient ceremonies in honour of Aphrodite and Adonis. Others connect it with religion since Kataklismos means flood from the Genesis book. The day is also called the day of the Holy Spirit connecting it to the commemorates of the descent of the Holy spirit to the Apostoles.
The day is celebrated 50 days after Orthodox Easter and this year the celebrations take place on the 20th of June. It is a three day fair that start on Saturday 18/6 and finishes on Monday night.
Water is the main theme of the festival and all the celebrations are about it! Celebrations include folk dancing, singing, swimming competitions, boat races and as the tradition goes throwing water to each other.
In Limassol the event will take place at the seaside molos promenade at the East dock. For other cities events check your local municipality to find out more details.
At the festival you can find various merchant kiosks selling from traditional sweets like soutzoukos, loukoumades and shamishi, to other various traditional products of Cyprus.
The programme for Limassol Water Festival includes:
Saturday 10:00am @ Olympium coast
Swimming and walking in the water competitions for all ages organized by Winter Swimmers club of Olympium Coast and KOA.
Sunday 9:00-10:00 am @ Seaside park theatre area (Molos)
Folk dancing by various groups
Sunday 12:00 noon @ St. Raphael Marina
St.Raphael Yacht Club organizes boat races
Monday 16:00 - 17:00 @ Seaside park theatre area (Molos)
Cruising demonstration by the Sailing team of Limassol Nautical Club
Monday 21:00@ Seaside park theatre area (Molos)
Traditional music concert by Michalis Tterlikkas and the band "Adama". "Dionysos" cultural dancing school will perform
From Saturday to Monday
there is a boat added for trips along the lovely Limassol shore line just like it was some years ago. It used to be called "Pamporos". Pamporos was actually a big ship anchored out in the deep sea and for people to see it they entered small boats that took them there. "Allos gia ton Pamporo" - "Anyone else for Pamporo" is the tagline used for the trips during the flood festival to remind people of those days.
The trips will be by MEDITTERANEO-3 boat from Masoura Brothers and there will be 4 trips at 18:00, 19:00, 20:00 and 21:00. Ticket fro grown-ups €5 and children up to 12 years € 2.
For more information @Limassol Municipality
Enjoy a long holiday weekend full of water and tradition