Lefkada, like the rest of the Ionian Islands, exempted from the Turkish occupation and influenced by the West due to the Venetian rule, was differentiated from the rest of Greece. After its liberation and during the years that the mainland of Greece fought for its independence, Lefkada witnessed the emergence of numerous distinguished scholars and artists, and such cultural events began on the island. Since 1955, cultural activities were entitled “Celebrations of Art and Literature” take place in Lefkada; in 1962, the annual “International Folklore Festival'' was launched. Theatre, music, exhibitions, poetry readings, ballet performances, concerts and many other activities form this long cultural tradition. One of the most outstanding events within the framework of these Celebrations was the Maria Kallas’ performance in 1964, her last one before a Greek audience. The “Celebrations of Art and Literature” events are organized by the Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Lefkada.

For more information, please log on to: www.lefkasculturalcenter.gr


The International Folklore Festival of Lefkada

The International Folklore Festival is described by its organizers as follows:

[...] from its foundation in 1962 until today, it promotes not only the idea of peace, friendship, fraternization, but also the solidarity of the people of the world, through the popular forms of the art of dance and music, through the rich traditions and the established popular codes of expression and communication.

The International Folklore Festival of Lefkada is the oldest cultural institution in our country, as far as dance, music and world traditional heritage are concerned, being at the same time a festival of national and international reputation.

Through the language of imagination and creativity people of the world meet every August in Lefkada exchanging what’s most precious for them: the creations of their intellectual and artistic expression as those that were formed through their age-old traditions [...] so that they may continue, through this communion and through the language of creation, the development of new forms of communication and collaboration on a basis that gives them the possibility of jointly celebrating their right to be different. It is well known to all of us that the language of art takes the edge out of our other intellectual origins, like political, social, economic etc, letting our commutation define itself in purity.

The festival takes place every year, in the last week of August, starting with the grand parade of peace and friendship in the evening of the opening ceremony (1st Sunday) with the brief appearance of all the bands, continuing with their full performances in the evenings of weekdays and reaching a crescendo with the grand closing ceremony, the gift exchange and the final dance of peace from all the bands on the 2nd Sunday.

Pictures from Folkore Celebrations ( © Municipality of Lefkada)

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