Renaissance Festival in Texas? Yes, you’ve read that right!

When:

Weekends – October 8 – November 27 & Thanksgiving Friday, 2022

9am – 8pm

Where:

21778 Farm to Market 1774

Todd Mission, TX 77363

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It’s a mediaeval-themed celebration of culture, traditions, and epochs aspects you can’t miss! 

Dressed as noble ladies, knights, pirates, peasants, and even fairies and other mythical creatures, folks have been travelling through time every year since 1974. Now, It’s your time to join them.

Miaoulia Festival is the largest festival on the island of Hydra, dedicated to Admiral Andreas Miaoulis, a prominent historical figure of the Greek War of Independence. The event takes place every year in late June and lasts for about a week.

Miaoulia Festival

Andreas Miaoulis died on 24th June, so to determine the dates of the festival, the island authorities count back from the weekend after that date, depending on how much time the activities booked for the celebration will take. Saturday and Sunday after 24th of June culminate the Miaoulia Festival with the brightest shows and colorful fireworks.

Miaoulia Festival was historically quite a bloodthirsty commemoration of the Greek success at the revolution against the Ottoman Empire. A lot has changed in the 200 years since then. Today, it is an occasion for Hydra to celebrate everything this small tight-knit island community has to offer, with parades, art displays, and tributes to locals and foreigners related to Hydra, like Leonard Cohen and Melina Mercouri, who were both honored during the festival in 2015. The 2017 event was also dedicated to the late Leonard Cohen.

With the emphasis on the productive and aspiring aspect of Greek history and how the island was shaped by its events, Hydra hosts celebrations and parties and welcomes representatives of the government and navy, as well as any other person wishing to participate in the festivities.

The last Saturday of the festival is marked by a historical re-enactment of the Greek-Ottoman Battle and an amazing fireworks show – in 2022 it falls on 25th June.

This is a very specific Hydra event, dedicated to the war of independence, which was centered on this island. The initial single-day celebration has evolved into almost two weeks of festivities and events, attracting people from all over Greece and foreign tourists.

The final day of the Miaoulia Festival includes a Holy Mass at the Cathedral and the transfer of the vessel containing Admiral Andreas Miaoulis’ heart from the Archive, with a memorial service at his statue held later.

Andreas Miaoulis

The Miaoulia Festival commemorates Admiral Andreas Miaoulis, a fighter for independence who won a number of decisive battles against the Ottoman Empire.

Andreas Vokos Miaoulis, (born 1769, Negropont, Euboea, Greece—died June 24, 1835, Athens), was a Greek patriot who successfully commanded the Greek revolutionary naval forces during the Greek War of Independence (1821–30).

During the Napoleonic Wars, Miaoulis amassed a sizable fortune through his wheat-shipping company, which he dedicated to the Greek war for freedom against the Turks.

He was assigned leadership of the major Greek naval forces in 1822, and he beat the Ottomans in battles along the coasts of Modon, Cape Matapan, Suda, and Cape Papas. His soldiers rammed fireships into the Ottoman fleet, and the sinking of the flagship, and this spectacular event is reenacted every year during the festival.

Admiral Miaoulis died on the 24th June 1835, and this day has been celebrated on Hydra as an annual event to commemorate his life, along with others, for the important role he played during the Greek War of Independence.

Hydra Island

Once the center of revolution, today Hydra is a famous elite tourist destination. It charmed not only jet set from around the world, but also artists, like Chagall and Picasso.

The small mountainous island is located in the middle of the Saronic Gulf, not far away from Athens. A sample of the classy beauty of Greek islands, Hydra was a filming location for such movies as “A Girl in Black” and “Boy on a Dolphin”.

A local peculiarity: there are no cars on Hydra island. People go on foot around the island, or use boats or donkeys. The island’s magnificent stone homes, along with the island’s automobile restriction, create a delightful ambience, making it one of the most tranquil locations around Athens. To find a guide to show you around, visit GetExperience.com.

When: 25 June – 7 July

Where: Sadi Konuralp Caddesi, No: 5, 34433, Istanbul, Turkey

First established in 1994 by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, the festival continues bringing joy to all jazz fans. By attending the festival today, people not only have a chance to dive into the various forms of jazz, but also support rising musicians. 

The Athens and Epidaurus Festival is an annual arts and theater event held in summer in both cities of Athens and Epidaurus. It has been a cultural highlight of the country for over 60 years, attracting numerous artists and performers, as well as thousands of visitors. The program includes a wide range of theatrical productions, art installations and performances, dance and musical acts. The main activities are held at the Odeon Herodes Atticus theater and the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus, which have remarkably good acoustics, as most ancient stages do.

About Epidaurus and its history

This noteworthy artistic event first took place in a small village of Epidaurus, and then spread to the capital of Greece. Almost 2,000 years ago a majestic theater stage was erected here to hold the best Greek tragedies and comedies of that era. All the talented actors and actresses of the world performed there. 

The theater is said to host healing music, dance, singing, and dramatic performances in worship of Asclepius, the ancient Greek God of medicine, and was a part of his sanctuary. The Sanctuary in Epidaurus was one of the main healing centers in Greece, and probably where the science of modern medicine was born. There were monumental buildings to worship Asclepius and accommodate healing needs of people from all over Greece and the Roman Empire. In the course of extensive construction plans between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, a large amphitheater was built to host theatrical and musical performances. Its perfectly executed tripartite structure and geometry provides excellent acoustics.

Unfortunately for people living in the Middle Ages and later, the famous stage was buried under a thick layer of soil until it was excavated in 1881. Panayis Kavvadias, a renowned Greek archaeologist, found the giant theater, well-preserved in its initial form, under layers of earth, almost by accident, and unearthed and restored it in just six years. After a slight restoration in the middle of the 20th century, the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus was opened to the public, and it now holds many plays from the ancient times – the ones that were performed there initially. Epidaurus is worth visiting even if you are not a big fan of dramatic art, because it is one of the best-preserved Greek monuments.

Since 1955, the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus has been hosting the Athens and Epidaurus Festival, which presents numerous theater, dance, and music artists, acclaimed in Greece and worldwide, attracting large audiences from around the world.

You can visit the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus and historical landmarks around at one of our tours.

Athens and Epidaurus Festival 2022

In 2022, the Athens and Epidaurus Festival will kick off on 1 June and will last right till 20 August. The festival invites artistic groups from all over the world to stage plays by famous ancient playwrights, adding commentary and allusions to the modern world. Although most plays are in Greek, it doesn’t spoil the aesthetic impression from the shows.

When the festival reopens to live audiences in 2022, Patti Smith, Diane Krall, French Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, and award-winning composer Max Richter will take stage at the historic theater of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus under the Acropolis. Other performances will include the Greek National Opera, George Dalaras, and Maria Farantouri among others.

At the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus, eight shows will be staged from June to August, twice a week, with plays by Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus.