Symi Festival 2011
Symi Festival 2011 programme
Here is a quick rundown of what is scheduled for the Symi Festival 2011, as currently advertised in the local paper.
16th July
St John’s churchyard, Yialos
Children’s choir from Rhodes
23rd July, Horio
An evening of Greek music
24th – 29th July and 1st – 3rd August
Cinema events, to be held in St John’s church courtyard
30th July, Town square, Yialos
Concert of Greek music with Miltos Pashalidis, based on his own 15 years of recordings, plus the work of other Greek composers. Also appearing: Mirela Pahou, Dimjitris Sinogiannis, Andreas Arvantis and Froso Stylianou. Also with Agaptios Pahos.
31st July, Horio
Symiote Shrimp Festival, traditional dances by the Women’s Association of Symi, and music by Michalis Missos.
1st – 15th August
At the Municipal Library AEGLI, Yialos
‘Cultural August.’ ‘a fortnight’s journey into the culture and history of Symi.
4th – 15th at St. George beach
Base jumping world cup (see posters around Yialos and Horio)
5th August
Festival of Megalis Sotiris
6th August, Yialos
Irene Milonaki presents contemporary and traditional dances with her dance group.
11th August, Yialos
Traditional Greek dances from the Dodecanese, Asia Minor and Northern Greece presented by the Women’s Association of Symi.
13th August, Yialos
The Symiote Theatre Group present a theatrical performance directed by Antonis Antonoglou.
15th August, Church of Alithini, Horio
Festival of Alithini
19th August, Yialos
Nimborio to Yialos annual race, award ceremony and a concert by Lefteris Stefanou and his students.
20th August, Panormitio Conference Centre
The Municipal Conservatoire of Symi, ‘Ioannis Diakogiannis’ presents a musical event.
23rd August, Nimos island
Traditional feast of Saint Maria of Nimos
26th August, Yialos
Greek evening
8th – 9th September, Symi and Datca
Two days of events dedicated to peace including the Symi-Datca swim.
10th September
Thisias race, Symi to Panormitis
Previous Symi Festival News:
Symi Festival 2011 in jeopardy (June 10th 2011)
Interview with the mayor of symi
The Symi Today blogspot has a link over to the Rodiaki website where there is an interview with our mayor. Basically Lefteris Papakalodoukas, the mayor of Symi, is saying that the Symi Festival 2011 may not go ahead this year because of the economic crisis and ‘indifference of the state.’ (Online translation.)
The Symi Festival has run for the last 16 years. The mayor said that the council will strive to get the event up and running, though the council is having trouble, because of its debts and cut backs. You’re best going to that page (link above) and getting your own translation, or reading it in Greek if you can, or squinting at the screen-shot provided here, as I don’t want to give out a wrong interpretation… but as far as I can make out the Mayor is saying that Symi will continue to put on events for visitors, including Turkish-Greek events, sports events and the ‘world championship skydiving.’ Now that could be my translator but…
I also note that he says:
- We have many Turkish visitors and there has been a noticeable rise in Russian visitors, even though visas are a problem for them.
- The water deliveries used to cost the government 5M so Symi put in the desalinisation plant for 5M to save the government money, but the government is not willing to contribute to the maintenance of the plant (500,000 p/a) and therefor it is at risk of closure. (The desalinisation plant, not the government… well actually…)
- The sports centre remains unfinished due to the economic crisis.
- Finally after a long break the island has a direct ferry link with Piraeus.
Symi blog website
But the main news is that, at the moment, the Symi Festival is at risk of not happening… What can we do? Well, Symi Dream shall carry on with our wine nights, photo walks, and island publicity through the Symi Dream website, we’ll carry on trying to get our film made here to attract visitors to Symi (and to Greece) and do our little bit to help the island and make ourselves a living… you can do your bit: spread the word about Symi. At the bottom of this post, beneath the ‘share on Facebook’ icon, you will see a small envelope icon; click on that and you will instantly be able to email this post to all your friends, or to those you choose from your address book. Go on, spread a Symi word or two. I’ll look at our stats in a day or so and see if there is any difference, if there is I will know you’ve got word out and are doing your bit for the island.
