Category Archives: Summer

Urban Picnic Festical 2014

Urban Picnic 2013It is time again for our beloved Urban Picnic. It is the last weekend of August, those who were out of the city are back, and all we want to do is enjoy the last summer nights outside. The gates of the Roman Forum are ready to open wide again to welcome the greatest Urban Picnic with great Music and films.

Urban Picnic is here for the 3rd year and here is last year’s post about it. 

It runs for 3 nights starting today, The festival’s plan entails the creation of a great urban picnic which will be flanked, on the one hand, by concerts with  promising music ensembles from around the city and, on the other, by films, feature and short ones, shown at the specially designed open-air movie theatre.

Urban picnic 2013As you can see in the photo, my friends take the picnic idea seriously and we prepare a small feast. So, let’s start packing our picnic basket and go !  Thursday, Friday, Saturday – Don’t miss it !

The detailed program can be found here. 

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360 Taratsa Film Festival

Taratsa

Whether you are visiting Thessaloniki for a few days, or are a long term visitor, if you are in town this week, this is an event not to be missed – an open air rooftop film festival !

An alternative international Film Festival is going to be hosted in Thessaloniki from 20th to 24th of August.

Four terraces will be turned into summer cinemas. In the three of these, carefully selected classic films will be projected and the one will host the “360° Taratsa film festival”, short film contest.

The “360° Taratsa film Festival” is conducted by the Cultural Organization “Epi Skopon” as part of the activities which accompany the “European Youth Capital 2014“.

Where 

Cyan terrace | Wonderwall – Aigiptou 16A, Thessaloniki

Magenta terrace | Palio Xamam – Mitropolitou Gennadiou 11, Thessaloniki

Yellow terrace | Fragile – Valaoritou 29, Thessaloniki

Black terrace | Ebeth – Tsimiski 29, Thessaloniki

Conception and Art Direction – Athanasios Alexopoulos

Head of Festival Organization – Despoina Kavuri

Head Manager of Summer Cinema – Sophia Topi

Head of Communication and Information – Natalia Tsoulou

Head Scenography – Marialena Xrisogonidou and George Stogiannis

More info + program 

Mojito Embassy @ Haven Bar

m2This is the event of the week ! Fortunately it lasts almost all week so you have still time to go !

From June 30 to July 3rd Thessaloniki, and most specifically Haven Bar is transformed to Havana, Cuba !

I was there last night and I must tell you one thing – if you are in town don’t miss it !!

The atmosphere and energy was amazing.  There was a big cuban street party with DYI mojitos sponsored by Havana Club, live music and dance !

m1The organisation of the event is simply amazing. At the entrance you receive your passport and then get inside where with you are given the ingredients to make your own mojito.  Bartenders at the special kiosks inform you about the history of cuban mojito and help you make it yourself. Of course making a mojito is really simple and easy, so once you make it you enjoy it for free with the sound of cuban music.

When I left I just wished there was a bar like this for the whole summer.

Today and tomorrow at Haven bar ! See you there !

7th World Naked Bike Ride

It is the first weekend of June, so it is time for the annual naked bike ride ! Currently on it’s 7th edition, this is an event that when it started only the “crazy” ones joined, and now it is a massive event that almost every young person in the city joins.

The World Naked Bike Ride is an international movement in which more than 70 cities worldwide take part.

It is the ultimate peaceful celebration for the promotion of bicycle as a means of transport, and sustainable mobility, against car culture and the pollution that it causes. For our independence from oil, lignite and non-renewable energy sources. For ecology, environment, human and non-human animals. For peace and non-violence, for the freedom of expression and stop feeling guilty for our naked body.

If the title scares you, don’t worry, you can come as naked as you want to. That means totally naked, or with a swimsuit, or even with a vest and shorts, whatever you feel comfortable in.  More than anything this event is about freedom and joy !

WNBR2014_Poster_2048The program for tomorrow goes as follows :

PROGRAM– FRIDAY 6 JUNE 2014

15.00 BODYPAINTING

17.00 EVENTS with music set Holly Rabit,

Danny A.K, Lucie Brova.

19.00 NAKED BIKE RIDE

22.00 PARTY WITH: music ensemble KROUSI

Music set: GG, YuGi, Naked Bike Rider

+ stilt walkers, film projections, fireworks and many other surprises.

 

When : 6/6/2014 at 19:00

Where : HANTH/YMCA of Thessaloniki Skate Park (Xarhakos)

Who : Children In Action, Thessaloniki Ecological Movement, Thessaloniki EYC 2014

More info 

 

Dendrospito / Treehouse

DendrospitoThe new hot entry of the season in the area of summer chill out bars was no doubt Dendrospito !

Located in one of the few parks in the heart of the city, Dendrospito (which means Treehouse) was the perfect chill out spot this summer for many people who had little or no vacation at all !

While the weather is still good I suggest you go there and enjoy the last weekend of September, and maybe the last summer nights, since I don’t know if this place will exist in a new form during the winter…

As you can see in the daytime photo I took especially for this purpose, the place itself is almost all open space, fun and colourful ! It has a nice relaxed atmosphere and music, you can drink as well eat, very friendly stuff, and excellent prices.  What more do you need ?

Dendrospito / Treehouse

Lounge, Bar, and Restaurant
YMCA park – opposite Alexander the Great statue

4sq link

Boat Bars

Boat barDo you know that Thessaloniki has not one, not two, but three boat bars ?

There are three boats, that you will find sitting in front of the white tower where you can enjoy your drink while getting a mini cruise on the gulf of Thermaikos !

You get the chance to view the city from a totally different prospective, by the sea, and you might also get the chance to see some huge container ships up close !

Some people find the boat bars touristic and many locals wouldn’t be seen dead in there, but I actually like them a lot, and thankfully have some friends who like them too, so we regularly go there for a drink, even during the winter time if the weather is not very cold.

boatbarEach bar has a different music style so if you are particular about the soundtrack of your mini cruise choose the one you like best: rock, reggae or mainstream.  If you don’t care so much about the music, but want to enjoy the ride just hop on to the first available one to leave next.  There are tables with the times of departure just in front of the boats and also people there who will tell you which one leaves next.

My favourite time to go there is in the evening but it is also great during sunset or on a sunny winter sunday morning !

Entrance is free, and you only pay for your drink.

P.S. If you are lucky enough to get caught by rain during the cruise there is no way to escape it – you just get wet !

Summer Movie Theatre

Image

Natali Summer Movie Theatre

The best way to say goodbye to summer is in a summer movie theatre. There are quite a few in the city, open from the first days of summer till the first rains come along. Whether you are stuck in the city during the whole summer, or just came back from vacations and want to keep this feeling in the city, this is the ideal Saturday night out.

Most of them are like small city oasis, surrounded by tall buildings and green plants. You can enjoy a snack and drink while watching you movie and there is always an intermission half way through the film for extra re-fills !

Before you go check on ipolistonkosmo.gr for movie times and schedules and off you go !

Summer movie theatres is one more reason that summer should never end !