The Dimitria Festival
The Dimitria takes its name from the Byzantine fairs held in honour of Saint Demetrios, Thessaloniki's patron saint, and has been staged by the Municipality each October since its re-establishment in 1966. The 60th edition ran across October 2025, including five Greek National Opera productions and a programme marking the centenary of the poet Manolis Anagnostakis.
The Dimitria Festival takes its name from the Byzantine fairs held each October in honour of Saint Demetrios, Thessaloniki’s patron saint, whose feast day falls on 26 October. Organised by the Municipality of Thessaloniki, it was re-established in 1966. The 60th edition was held across October 2025.
The 2025 programme marked the centenary of the poet Manolis Anagnostakis, a Thessaloniki native. The Greek National Opera contributed five productions during the month. Theophrastos Sakellaridis’ operetta I Want to See the Pope and the family musical Isadora Duck opened on 4 and 5 October at the Theatre of the Society for Macedonian Studies and the Thessaloniki Concert Hall. The GNO Ballet’s Golden Age, choreographed by Konstantinos Rigos, was performed at the Theatre of the Society for Macedonian Studies from 10 to 12 October. The double bill L’Amour à trois and La Voix humaine followed on 22 and 24 October. Madre Salonico, Leon A. Nar’s music theatre of the city’s Sephardic songs directed by Victor Ardittis, closed the month on 30 and 31 October in the Emilios Riadis Hall of the Thessaloniki Concert Hall. The 61st edition is set for 1 to 24 October 2026.