The Famagusta Flower Festival, the great celebration of spring, was held with great success on Sunday, May 10, 2026, on Kappari Avenue in Paralimni, organized jointly by the municipalities of Famagusta and Paralimni – Deryneia.
The grand flower festival began with a parade of marching groups and floats, decorated with flowers, along Kapparis Avenue, symbolically heading toward occupied Famagusta. The groups were represented by cultural and organized ensembles, as well as dance schools from the municipalities of Famagusta and Paralimni–Deryneia, and from the Famagusta district. Over a thousand people participated in the parade, while thousands of visitors from every corner of Cyprus and abroad watched the grand Spring celebration up close.
Following that, an artistic musical program took place in the parking lot on Kappari Avenue, featuring the Famagusta Municipality Choir, conducted by Nikos Vichas. Greetings were delivered by the Mayor of Paralimni–Deryneia, Mr. George Nikoletos, the Mayor of Famagusta, Mr. Simos Ioannou, and the Deputy Minister to the President, Ms. Irini Piki. In his remarks, the Mayor of Paralimni–Deryneia emphasized that the symbolic nature of the Anthestiria event aims to foster further cooperation with the Municipality of Famagusta as well as to highlight the issue of the ongoing occupation, the tragedy of the missing persons and the refugee crisis, not only for the occupied Metropolis but also for the Municipality of Paralimni–Deryneia itself, a large part of which remains under occupation. The Mayor of Famagusta expressed his emotion at the revival of the great festival of the Municipality of Famagusta and thanked the Municipality of Paralimni – Deryneia for its cooperation, while for her part, the Deputy Minister to the President, Ms. Irini Piki, emphasized that “from the Varosia Flower Festivals of 1915 to today’s revival, Famagusta continues to send the same message: remembrance, dignity, and faith in return,” and that “despite 52 years of occupation, the spirit of Famagusta remains alive.”
The event culminated in a grand concert featuring Stavros Konstantinou and Andri Karantoni.
The Antheisteria procession was led by the mayors and members of the two municipal councils, who carried the banners of the two municipalities and accompanied the Deputy Minister to the President, while the procession included groups from organized ensembles and dance schools, specifically the Former Guides of Paralimni, who performed the Panathenaic ritual, the Famagusta GSE, the Famagusta Lyceum of Greek Women, the Nea Salamina Academy of Famagusta, the cultural groups of the Frenaros Municipal District, the “Voices of Aoi” Youth Choir of the Municipality of Paralimni–Deryneia, the Cultural Association of Agios Georgios Acheritos – Vrysoullon, the “Drymio” Dance Group of the Municipal District of Deryneia, the “By the Lake” Cultural Workshop of Paralimni, the Freedom School of Dance, the “Melizona” Choir of the Municipal District of Paralimni, the Association of Greeks from Free Famagusta, the Famagusta Autism Support Association, the Choir of the Municipal District of Deryneia, the Constantia Nautical Club, the Pontian Cultural Association of Famagusta “Temetron,” the Bulgarian School of Famagusta, the Youth Councils of the Municipality of Paralimni – Deryneia, the 112th Deryneia Sea Scout Group, the Thespians Theater, the 1st Public Kindergarten of Paralimni, Power Team, and Athletes of Art by H.O.M.
The Famagusta Flower Festival was held under the patronage of His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Nicos Christodoulides.
The event was broadcast on ANT1 television.
