Wine lovers, and not only, will have the chance to enjoy their favorite drink at the 53rd Limassol Wine Festival which opens its gates on Thursday, 28 August, with the participation of the four main wineries on the island and 14 smaller district wineries.
The annual festival will run until the 7th September at the Limassol Municipal Gardens, under the slogan “Drink wine for longer life” as its symbolic figure, a Cypriot clad in the traditional baggy trousers, tells visitors, as they enter the Gardens.
Speaking at a press conference, Limassol Mayor Andreas Christou said despite the economic problems the island is facing, the festival will not be deprived of variety, show and cultural events.
Thousands of people from all over the island attend the festival, which is also a popular event for tourists.
Concerts, theatrical performances, wine tasting and other activities are part of the festival that is held at the end of the grape harvest. Limassol district is famous for producing one of the world’s oldest wines, the sweet Commandaria.
The Cyprus Tourism Organisation will provide free transportation to the festival during the two weekends from Nicosia, Larnaca, Agia Napa and Paphos.
The official opening of the Wine Festival will take place on Thursday at 2000 by
Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism, George Lakkotrypis, will open officially the festival and the Mayor of Limassol will also address the opening. The «Ariones» choir will perform new songs dedicated to wine and dancing will be provided by the Limassolian Cultural and Dancing Group “Dionysos.
On Wednesday 27 August at the “Panos Solomonides”Municipal Cultural Centre, the Limassol Municipality, the Cyprus Photographic Society – Limassol Branch and the Limassol Union of Self-Educated Painters are co-organising a painting and photographic exhibition on the “Vineyard and the wine”. The Kato Polemidia Municipality choir will entertain those present. The Mayor of Limassol will inaugurate the exhibition.
Vintage cars will parade through the town and the tourist area on Saturday with the Limassol “LEPAL” Classic Cars Club.
The most impressive decoration of the festival is the giant statue of a Cypriot, about 7 meters in height, a winegrower in a traditional local costume. This statue is placed inside the main entrance of the Municipal Gardens. This figure was adopted as the emblem of the Wine Festival in 1962 and remains so to this date. Its motto: "Drink Wine for Longer Life".
