In Paros the local festivities keep local traditional customs alive; many are religious and others commemorate historical events and milestones. Once a year, big and small churches alike honor the name day of the Saint the name of whom they bear, with the participation of the faithful parishioners. In these events the religious element coexists harmoniously with the joy of life, since after the mass a joyous feast takes place with dancing, music and lots of delicious food. Don’t miss the opportunity to dance and join in the revelry to the rousing tunes of the island popular music.

Hereunder you will find a month-to-month calendar of events taking place in Paros.

Carnival in Paros

• On the last Sunday of the Carnival, festivities in Marpissa
  
• Clean (or Ash) Monday, traditional fasting food and “lagana” bread, kites filling the skies, especially in Alyki where there is a tradition of impromptu kites
  
  

Greek Orthodox Easter in Paros
(it is celebrated first Sunday after the full moon of vernal equinox)

• Good Friday: Re-enactment of scenes from the Passion of Jesus Christ
  (Marpissa, Marmara, Prodromos, Lefkes, Aspro Horio)
• Easter Sunday: “Agape (Love) Vespers” in Marpissa
  
• 40 days after Easter: Festival of the Analipsis (Ascension)
  (Agios Fokas, Paroikia, Piso Livadi)
  
  

January

• January 6: Epiphany (or Feast of Lights), the priest throws the cross into the sea and chiefly young men dive in the cold water, in a noble contest to find it first (Paroikia, Naoussa and other little harbors of the island)
  
  

March

• March 25: A combination of religious and national holiday. Divine Liturgy in Ekatontapyliani church, and parades in the most prominent villages of the island
  
  

April

• April 23: The Agios Georgios festival in Alyki
  
  

May

• May 8: The Agios Ioannis Theologos (the Theologian) in Drios
  
  

June

• June 23: The “kleidonas” festival and burning of the May 1st wreaths (Naoussa, Alyki, Prodromos)
  
• Agiou Pnevmatos (Holy Spirit Day): Celebration of the Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) in Lefkes
• June 30: The Agioi Anargyroi festival, in Paroikia
  
  

July

• 1st Sunday of July: Fish and wine festival in Naoussa
  
• July 16-17: The Agia Marina festival in Antiparos
  
• July 17: Revival of the “Tsambouna” (windpipe musical instrument) in Naoussa
  
• July 24: The Agia Anna festival in Paroikia
  
  

August

• August 6: The Sotiros (Lord Saviour) festival (Alyki, Marpissa)
• August 6: The Metamorfossis tou Sotiros (Transfiguration of our Lord Saviour) festival in Naoussa
  
• August 15: The Panagia (Virgin Mary) festival in Paroikia, the most important festival on the island, when in the evening each and every craft in the harbor turn on their lights and numerous fireworks light up the sky. Concerts, traditional dances and various other happenings take place on the Paroikia waterfront
  
• August 23: The “9th day’s ritual of the Panagia” (nine days after her Dormition), re-enactment of the attack by Barbarossa and his pirates against Naoussa
  
• August 27: The Agios Fanourios festival in Ambelas
  
• August 28-29: The Agios Ioannis Detis festival (Naoussa, Drios, Lefkes)
  
  

September

• Beginning of September: The “Trata” (net fishing) festival in Paroikia
• September 8: The Panagia Faneromeni (Antiparos, Marmara)
• September 14: The Stavros (Holy Cross) festival in Alyki
  
  

October

• October 28: The National Holiday celebration, Divine Liturgy in Ekatontapyliani church, and parades in the most prominent villages of the island
  

December

• December 24: Traditional Christmas carols
• December 31: Traditional New Year’s carols