Whatever the weather, Halkidiki has a festival for every season with various celebrations taking place throughout the year.
Summer is the height of festival season across the region, particularly in the bustling seaside village of Sani. An event of international renown, the Sani Festival showcases concerts, theatre performances and art exhibitions from around the globe.
A rather different affair also taking place in July, is the annual sardine festival that descends on the atmospheric fishing town of Nea Moudania, where free grilled sardines and wine-laden festivities await. A similar celebration of the sea is the International Swimming Crossing of Toronoeos Gulf, where skilled swimmers gather to cross a distance of 26 kilometres from Kallithea to Nikiti.
This time of year also heralds the Festival of Kassandra, where ancient Greek dramas are brought to life alongside regular musical performances at the Theatre of Siviri. Shortly after, August brings the colourful carnival and treasure hunts of the Polygyros Festival with an enormous parade taking place on the final Sunday of the celebrations.
As autumn approaches, so too does the famous religious feast of Agios Mamas – a week-long series of concerts and trade fairs whose heritage is rooted in a tradition dating back to the Byzantine era. This annual event represents the second largest festival in Greece.
Finally, with an abundance of fir trees thriving throughout the region, particularly in the village of Taxiarchis, Halkidiki comes alive at Christmas and embraces the full festival season. With a rich pine-tree farming tradition dating back centuries, Christmas trees from Taxiarchis are found in homes throughout Greece.
