Every year on March 17th, in the small town of Grevena, the spirit of the Irish takes over in a grand celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day. The festivities include food, music, and naturally an unlimited flow of beer. How is it that this foreign holiday became such a central celebration in the northern Greek area? In short: a group of friends put together a party so good, it became a connecting point for the town.

Grevena local Stelios Papalambropoulos has loved music from Ireland and Scotland since he was a kid. In a brief description on the official St. Patrick’s Day Grevena website, he recalls wanting to share his love for Celtic culture with his friends: “St. Patrick’s Day was the solution! Organizing Irish music nights. It was something special for Grevena, it had never happened before. It was that simple… We initially got together as friends, we agreed to organize it and the first night was in 2015 at the hospitable BULLS EYE, on a Tuesday! The night ended at 5 in the morning… that’s how it all started!”

Nowadays, the week-long festival acts as a bridge between Irish and Greek traditions. The activities have expanded beyond food, drink and music into cultural experiences. This year’s program includes a creative writing workshop, film screenings, as well as live concerts, featuring Greek and Irish traditional music.

The Ambassador of Ireland to Greece, Her Excellency Ms. Ciarra O’ Floinn has also pledged her presence. 

For anyone planning of joining the festivities, it is an excellent opportunity to explore history Grevena, a small town offering not only rich culinary experiences, through its unique mushroom cuisine, but also cultural landmarks such as the National History Museum, housing the largest mammoth tusk in the world.