Cyprus celebrates Greek Orthodox religious holidays alongside a calendar of cultural and folk events. The following are the most notable for visitors.
Limassol Carnival (February/March) is one of the liveliest pre-Lenten carnivals in the eastern Mediterranean — ten days of parades, costumes, street parties, and music leading up to Clean Monday. Dates shift each year in line with Orthodox Easter.
Anthestiria (Flower Festival) takes place in May in several towns, most visibly in Limassol. Floral floats and decorated vehicles parade through the streets; the tradition dates to ancient Greek celebrations of spring.
Kataklysmos (Festival of the Flood) falls on the Monday after Orthodox Pentecost — typically in June. It is uniquely Cypriot, combining Christian observance with ancient water-related traditions: people gather at the sea or riversides and throw water on each other. Larnaca holds the largest celebration.
Limassol Wine Festival (September) is a week-long event in the Municipal Gardens, where visitors can taste wines from Cyprus's main producers for a modest entrance fee. There is live music and traditional food. Cyprus's wine culture is ancient — the island claims to produce Commandaria, possibly the world's oldest named wine.
Kypria International Festival (September–October) brings theatre, dance, and classical music performances to venues across the island, including ancient sites like Kourion and the Paphos Odeon.
Christmas and Orthodox Easter are the two biggest religious celebrations. Orthodox Easter (Pascha) follows the Julian calendar and usually falls one to several weeks after Western Easter. The midnight Resurrection service is worth attending — churches spill onto the streets, candles are lit from a central flame, and the atmosphere is genuinely moving.