Events

From Easter Monday till September , various religious celebrations give the chance for popular festivals (fetes) . Since old times, it was an opportunity for socializing , carrying out trade and, for the young people, to get to know each other and create sentimental and family bonds.
Outside churches , at squares as well as at other suitable places in villages and neighborhoods a stage is put up“ ” , nicely decorated, and tables and benches all around it . At big festivals, more stages are put up and the tables and chairs are in dedicated places delimited in older times by branches of herbs (myrtle, lentisk). .
On the stage the orchestra performs, having the violin at the center of attention (today, however, traditional violinists are rare) and before the orchestra the people dance and have fun. The most popular dance is the round dance of Corfu danced in a circle , with grace and wonderful rhythms .
The surrounding space and the nearby streets are populated by peddlers who announce their goods: sweets, cookies, toys, gifts, roast meet, wine and drinks.

Every year, on 11 August, Corfu celebrates, with pomp and circumstance, over three days, an event that took place three centuries ago. This event was the victory of the locals and the Venetians against the Turks, on their last attack.

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OPEN INVITATION
The Prefecture of Corfu and the Municipality of Corfu Town have the pleasure to invite you to Corfu, the island of music on
Saturday, May 9th, 2009
for the great celebration of Europe Day!!!

In the unique way that only Corfiots know,

If you only get one chance in a lifetime to visit Corfu, you'd better choose spring and especially Easter week . It is the time when Corfu brings out to light all its natural and cultural beauty .

You will feel overwhelmed by the flowers , you will feel surprised by the green , you will be taken away by music , you will get unprecedented feelings by the religious and celebrating events.

It is the only place on Earth where you can experience Spring getting inside your very existence, where you can enjoy so strongly the atmosphere of the most important celebration . Easter here is bright beyond all expectations.

From the beginning to the end of July, Ionian Concerts invite you to high quality musical performances in historic venues of equally high artistic value.

From ancient times Corfu is connected to music and it maintains a rich and everlasting musical tradition . From minstrel Dimodokos , who sang in honor of Ulysses , as is mentioned by Homer in Odyssey( 3000 BC) to the San Giacomo theater, which housed opera performances for the very first time in the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean and to the creation of the first music band "Philharmonic Society of Corfu" ( 1840 ) to this day, music is a predominant form of art, closely connected to the soul and the history of the people of Corfu and Paxos . Music is everywhere. At the festivals , the cobbled streets , the fields and the olive groves , the houses , as well as in the accent of the Corfiot people. Joy, sorrow and everyday speech abound with rhythm .

The Philharmonic bands.

The Philharmonic Bands of Corfu are a unique world phenomenon as regards the ratio of number bands to population ’ . The founding of the philharmonic bands took place following the trend of the creation of popular clubs and societies which took place in Europe after the Industrial revolution, especially in the 19th century and was introduced in cosmopolitan Corfu through the local youth who studied in universities in Europe, as well as by merchants . This phenomenon was intensified in the 20th century, based on economic development, a trend to imitate and a kind of localisms, deriving from the idiosyncratic composition of the population of Corfu of groups of economic and politican immigrants. Nowadays, a population of 110.000 people all over Corfu are educated by 19 philharmonic bands , who support musical education through their schools , as well as through their presence at celebrations and festivals, both in Corfu and in other places.

Musical events.

Throughout the summer, Corfu enjoys really interesting musical events . The International Festival of Corfu“ Ionian Concerts ” co-organized by the Musical Department of the Ionian University , the Prefecture of Corfu and the Municipality of Corfu is the most important cultural event . This big celebration is the peak of an international musical meeting called " Summer Academy ", in which famous musicians coexist with students from America , Europe , Far East and Greece . It is a festival of high quality .

Every summer at Paxos take place severak important musical events, the most important of which being the Spring Music Festival and Paxos Festival