- Total Events: 125+
- Complimentary Access: 55 events offer free admission.
- Opening Act: Pyx Lax concert, July 1st, Nikos Kazantzakis Municipal Garden Theatre.
- Primary Venues: Nikos Kazantzakis Garden Theatre, Manos Hadjidakis Garden Theatre, Mikis Theodorakis Open Theatre (Bethlehem Gate), and the Bethlehem Open-Air Cinema.
The “Heraklion – Summer” festival returns as one of the municipality’s most enduring traditions. By utilizing the city’s historic and open-air venues, the program weaves together high-caliber productions with local artistic initiatives. Following the summer series, the city will transition to the “Candia Walls Festival,” a new initiative first piloted in 2024 that uses the Venetian fortification spaces. The program below is bilingual, and you can check it out to plan your activities.
Program Breakdown
The festival schedule will feature:
- 60 theatrical performances
- 37 live concerts
- 16 children’s theatre productions
- 12 music and dance performances
- 70 total film screenings (31 feature-length, 19 short films) at the Bethlehem Open-Air Cinema
Mayor Alexis Kalokairinos emphasized the role of the arts in urban identity:
“Culture is not just a form of entertainment. It is a vessel of memory, knowledge, and social cohesion. It is the medium through which the identity of our place, its history, and its dynamic perspective are highlighted. Through this festival, Heraklion confirms its character as an extroverted, creative, and hospitable city.”
Deputy Mayor of Culture, Rena Papadaki-Skalidi, noted the inclusive nature of this year’s lineup:
“Our program combines established creators with new artistic voices, major productions with local initiatives, offering substantial opportunities for participation and access to culture. I invite you to embrace this summer’s events and share in the joy of expression and communication.”
Collaborations for the film screenings and special events include the Greek National Opera, the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum, and the Association of Architects of Heraklion Prefecture.
