The city’s big spring festival, the Athens City Festival of the Municipality of Athens is coming for the 2nd consecutive year to “flood” Athens with more than 200 separate actions and events in the center and its 129 neighborhoods.

The Festival will take place throughout May (01 – 31/5), offering a rich program of culture, entertainment, sports and gastronomy activities aimed at Athenians and visitors of all ages.

The Athens City Festival is the result of the close and pioneering cooperation of the Development and Tourism Promotion Company of the Municipality of Athens with groups and agencies of the city: Public and private Museums, galleries, cultural institutions, civil society groups, musicians, singers, educators participate -among others- in this special spring celebration.

city ​​of Athens

Actions for everyone

A picnic at Plato’s Academy, but also at the Epigraphic Museum, astronomical tours of the mythical hills of Athens, underground routes in the tunnels and shelters of the city, skateboarding tournaments, open-air movie screenings in parks, outdoor street parties, dj sets in the most unexpected places, tours and guided tours of the city’s squares, streets and Museums, concerts but also bike rides and many activities for children have their place in the festival program. Young and established artists present us the lively and springtime Athens.

In his statement, the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, emphasized: “The Athens City Festival is all of Athens in one celebration. A month of events from one end of the city – where municipality, cultural institutions, creative groups, artists and communities of the capital join forces to highlight and share its rich culture. But also… let’s have fun! A festival for all and sundry, for every age, mood and preference, which after last year’s success of more than 50,000 visitors, is becoming an institution”.

EATA is the organizer of the Athens City Festival

Through the Development and Tourism Promotion Company of the Municipality of Athens (EATA), which has undertaken the implementation of the Athens City Festival, an open call was made to all bodies and institutions related to the culture, artists and creative groups of the city, in order to , either to propose new actions, or to include their actions in the Festival. The result was an extroverted, open program with more than 200 high-quality events across the city.

You can see the detailed program in Greek and English on the page: https://cityfestival.thisisathens.org/

The 12 “highlights” of the Athens City Festival

Athens Urban Picnic at Platonos Academy, 1/5

The Athens Urban Picnic returns for the second year, at Platonos Academy. For one whole day, in the park of the Platonos Academy, young and old will have the opportunity to celebrate spring and enjoy entertainment activities, educational workshops, children’s shows, concerts, lots of music from favorite producers of HiT 88.9, En Lefko 87.7, RED 96.3 and other surprises. Come and have a picnic and spend an unforgettable May Day, in the heart of Athens!

Cinematic Orchestra in Kotzia Square, 6/5

Their name could not be more fitting. Cinematic Orchestra always manages to captivate audiences by masterfully combining cinematic music with electronic sound like no other. In Kotzia Square, in front of the Athens City Hall and with an impressive sound and light equipment, the Cinematic Orchestra will look back on their discography, in the biggest concert they have ever given in Greece.

From Earth to Sky, Observatory, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18, 5/25

A route of archaeological and astronomical interest in the hills around the Observatory, starting at 19:00, at the time of the magical sunset from the western hills of the Acropolis, Pnykas, Nympho and Filopappos (Mouson), where the history and everyday life of the ancient of Athens. The connecting link of all these, the cobbled paths of Pikionis, a unique project of its kind that combines the old with the new, then with now. The tour ends with an observation of celestial objects through the lens of the historical Doridis telescope, on the hill of Pnyka.

Underground Athens, Shelters and Catacombs, 7/5 and 21/5

How many surprises can the (underground) city of Athens have in store? Remains of the traces left by the Second World War, in underground shelters, next to busy roads, catacombs with tunnels from ancient aqueducts, ruins of Roman baths and Byzantine ossuaries, as well as valuable objects or relics in crypts, springs and streams that they survive by rolling in old galleries, under the most central streets. A tour of a magical world that we didn’t have the chance to experience, guided by Speleologist Panagiotis Deuterios.

Urban picnic on the pedestrian street of Tositsa Street, 14/5

The urban picnic is a mini-festival that will take place on Tositsa Street, at the entrance of the Epigraphic Museum, under the trees. Acclaimed djs and producers will musically accompany a special picnic with street food canteens, cocktail stands, readings and book presentations, many happenings and workshops for children.

Kutiman live, French Institute, 15/5

Israel’s Kutiman is a YouTube phenomenon, a multi-talented man who succeeds in most projects he tackles. He visits Athens as a musician to present a unique show in the Lilliputian courtyard of the French Institute, with retrospectives on his recording career.

Greek cinema nights, 22-25/5, Freedom Park

The city’s summer cinema comes to Eleftheria Park, choosing the best moments of modern Greek cinema. Under the stars, on the grass, a colorful audience is ready to travel through the screen, to the magic of the 7th Art, in a Greek version.

Chores, 24/5, Byzantine Museum

One of the most active and recognizable polyphonic groups of recent years, Chores, the band accompanied and supervised by Marina Satti, in a unique, mystical appearance in the amazing garden of the Byzantine and Christian Museum of Athens.

Flare the Square: Skateboarding Contest, 27/5, Kotzia Square

In collaboration with the Athens City Festival, the Ministry Of Concrete (MOC) presents a high-level skateboarding tournament, with the participation of professional and amateur athletes. MOC will transform Kotzia Square into a unique skate plaza, giving an amazing spectacle surrounded by concerts, dj sets, street food and lots of fun, where everyone is welcome.

Walk around the National Archaeological Museum, 27/5

The National Archaeological Museum presents in an evening walk the brief history of the Greek State from its foundation to the present day. A story that begins two centuries ago, from a plot of land that was a vineyard, then became a club for Bavarian soldiers, site of the largest Museum of the ancient world, a place of anxious hiding of antiquities in view of war, an emblematic site of the National Resistance to the Occupation, a witness to of the student revolt of the Polytechnic University, an ark of inexhaustible reports. A small place in the heart of Athens, which experienced the birth and adventures of an entire country.

Pop Up Ice Cream Market, 28/5, Kypseli Municipal Market

Greek ice cream at its best in a unique pop up event at the Municipal Market of Kypseli. Yesterday’s recipes, today’s techniques, unexpected flavors from old and new producers will be combined with many awards and a strong desire to create.

Street Outdoors Party, 28/5, Lycabettus Parking

Street Outdoors, the most famous street party in the country, collaborates with the Athens City Festival and “lands” in the parking lot of Lycabettus. For an entire afternoon, it will transform the “balcony of Athens” into one of the most wonderful clubs in the world.