What’s on this weekend

Rural festivals that celebrate local beers, mahalepi, and prickly pears happen and city festivals dedicated to documentary films and ancient Greek drama bring life to August 7 to 9 Festivals The Paphos Beerfest 2026 is already on and until Sunday, August 9, it takes over the Medieval Castle Square of Paphos. There, visitors can sample craft beers from around the world, taste delicious food pairings, enjoy evening concerts, fire shows and devour street food. Another seaside location also invites beer lovers this weekend. The Kiti Beer Fest happens on Sunday at the gardens of Kiti Municipal Buildings. From 7.30pm onwards, the festival doors will open, serving beer varieties, while Smash Bites prepares mouth-watering street food. Of course, the event also includes live music. Koilani village will host the 25th Countryside Animafest Cyprus this year on August 7-9. A series of workshops, exhibitions and village happenings will entertain festivalgoers during the day, while in the evenings, animation screenings from international and local filmmakers will be shown as they participate in the festival competition. The programme also includes live music on the main stage. Paphos Beer Festival (Photo: Constantinos Larkos) The 31st Nata Prickly Pear Festival on August 7 will fill the rural Paphos village with culture, tradition and entertainment, while in the Larnaca district, the 44th Lefkara Festival begins its three-week programme on Friday. Until almost the end of the month, August 22, the municipality will present a rich agenda of theatre, music, art and walking events. Among its highlights are the concerts on August 7, 8 and 9 and the Lefkara Street Food Festival on August 16. Amiantos village welcomes the 2nd Mahalepi Festival, treating visitors to refreshing bites of this summer dessert. Workshops by local chefs will show how mahalepi is made, while Zenith FM hosts a live broadcast and a market sells local goods. Live music and dance performances will also take place, followed by big evening concerts with renowned names of the Greek and Cypriot music scene. Plus, a lights drone show will wow visitors in the evening. In its final days is the 21st Lemesos International Documentary Festival, happening at Ceronia Hall of the Lanitis Carob Mill in Limassol. Friday’s film screenings include The Flycatcher-Sinekçi at 6.30pm, The Urban Condition: An Expanded Screening at 8.30pm and NOVA’78 at 10.30pm. Saturday’s screenings, the final festival day, will feature the films TikTok Never Dies and Remembering Mariamman. The 2026 festival will close with a music event by Sofronis Sofroniou. Theatre & live music The International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama enters its final stretch this weekend as it concludes with a tragedy by Euripides. The National Theatre of Greece presents Alcestis at the Curium Ancient Theatre on August 7 and 8, with the production including English and Greek surtitles. On the music front, the 14th Summer Music Festival Farmakas holds two concerts in the village. On Saturday night, Kelly Kelekidou will step onto the stage to entertain festival-goers while on Sunday, singer Andromachi will charm crowds, joined by Eleftheria Eleftheriou. Ark cafe bar The coast of Protaras, at Polyxenia Isaak beach, will welcome live music as well. ARK Café-Bar, a charming wooden bar right in front of the water, hosts local musicians – Markou and Nikolas Pattouras will perform on Saturday from 5pm to 8pm, and DJ Taliadoros will play a live set on Sunday from 4pm to 8pm. Live music will reach the mountains too, as Pittali Winery in Ayios Theodoros Pitsillias organises a jazz night this Sunday with Avant Tout. The duo will fill the winery’s courtyard with timeless French, English and jazz classics, creating the perfect atmosphere for a relaxed and wine-infused evening overlooking the Troodos mountains. Finally, for a taste of something different that offers fun for all ages, a board games morning is hosted at a Paphos library this Saturday. Ierokipia Municipal Library in Yeroskipou welcomes children and adults to play with its collection of board games and also collect donations of games visitors no longer want. The event will run from 10am to 12pm, and for free, offering families and friends a fun start to the weekend. Paphos Beerfest 2026 Festival with local breweries and international craft beer, live music and street food. Until August 9. Medieval Castle Square, Paphos. 6pm onwards. Free admission Kiti Beer Fest Beers, street food from Smash Bites and live music. August 9. Gardens of Municipal Buildings of Kiti, Larnaca district. 7.30pm 25th Countryside Animafest Cyprus Animation screenings, competitions, workshops, and more. August 7-9. Koilani village, Limassol district. Three-day festival pass: €10. www.animafest.com.cy 31st Nata Prickly Pear Festival Annual summer festival celebrating prickly pears and tradition. August 7. Nata village square, Paphos district. 8pm 44th Lefkara Festival Annual summer festival with parties, cultural events, live music, art, food and more. August 7- 22. Lefkara village, Larnaca district. www.lefkara.org.cy 2nd Mahalepi Festival Amiantos Traditional village festival dedicated to mahalepi. Evening concerts, mahalepi workshops, markets and entertainment. August 8-9. Hadjiktori park, Amiantos, Limassol district. 2pm onwards. www.mahalepi.com 21st Lemesos International Documentary Festival One week of film screenings, documentaries, Cyprus premiers, discussions and parties. Until August 8. Ceronia Hall, Lanitis Carob Mill, Limassol. www.filmfestival.com.cy Alcestis The National Theatre of Greece presents Euripides’ tragedy. Part of the International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama. August 7-8. Curium Ancient Theatre, Limassol. 9pm. With English and Greek surtitles. Tel: 7000-2414. www.greekdramafest.com, www.soldoutticketbox.com 14th Summer Music Festival Farmakas Live music concerts, street food and more. August 8-9. Farmakas village square, Nicosia district. 9pm. €15 or €25 for both nights. www.ticketmaster.cy ARK August Events Live piano, voice and guitar duet from Kyriakos Markou and Nikolas Pattouras. August 8. 5pm-8pm. Live set from DJ Taliadoros. August 9pm. 4pm-8pm. Free entrance. www.instagram.com/arkcafebar Avant Tout: Retro French, English & Jazz Live jazz by Avant Tout. August 9. Pittali Winery, Agios Theodoros Pitsillias. 7.30pm. Tel: 96-605030 Board Games at the Library A fun morning activity for children and adults, playing board games. August 8. Ierokipia Municipal Library, Geroskipou, Paphos. 10am-12pm. Free entrance. Registrations required. Tel: 26-961430. [email protected]