If you happen to be around Kavala at the beginning of November, there is one stop that is well worth making – the Tsipouro Festival in Nea Peramos. On Sunday, 1 November 2026, the town’s seafront promenade will once again fill up with people, music and, of course, the smell of freshly grilled sardines.
(A small confession before we go on: the photo for this article shows a glass of ouzo, not tsipouro – we simply didn’t have the right shot at hand while writing. Let’s call it a rehearsal for the real thing. Greeks insist the difference is obvious, but to the untrained eye the two look suspiciously alike.)
What happens at the festival
The festival is organised by the Municipality of Pangaio, and the stage is the pedestrian promenade along the sea in Nea Peramos. According to the municipality’s announcements, visitors can look forward to grilled sardines, pickles and free glasses of local tsipouro – offered as a “kerasma”, a treat from the hosts. On top of that, dance groups and local associations perform live traditional music and dances, so the mood picks up quickly.
A tradition with a history
This is no one-off event thrown together at the last minute – the festival has been held for years and is one of those occasions locals call an “institution” of the area. Its roots go back to the former Municipality of Eleftheres, before the administrative merger into the Municipality of Pangaio. In 2016 the festival received a national award as the best festival promoting a local product – presented at a ceremony in Gazoros, Serres.
The Mayor of Pangaio, Filippos Anastasiadis, describes tsipouro as more than just a drink: in his words, it is the result of hard work, passion and hospitality and “part of our identity”. He also links the festival to supporting local producers and the cultural associations that keep the tradition alive.
Who comes to the festival
Quite a crowd is expected – according to Pangaio’s Deputy Mayor, Christos Bozdiotis, travel agencies from Thessaloniki and Serres are already organising day trips to the festival, and larger tour operators may also add the area to their programmes. In other words, if you decide to go, you won’t be alone – but that is part of the fun.
Practical information
- Date: Sunday, 1 November 2026
- Venue: the seafront pedestrian promenade of Nea Peramos, Municipality of Pangaio (Kavala regional unit)
- On offer: grilled sardines, pickles, free glasses of local tsipouro, traditional music and dances
- Entry: free, as is usual for municipal festivals of this kind
The exact starting time had not been announced publicly at the time of writing – organisers usually publish the final programme in the days just before the festival, so it’s a good idea to check the Municipality of Pangaio’s page or local news sites closer to the date.
Bonus: if you’re there a little earlier
Just a few days earlier, on 25 October, the chestnut forest of Palaiochori (also in the Municipality of Pangaio) hosts Chestnut Day – with free chestnuts prepared in several different ways. The two events aren’t directly connected, but if you’re planning a trip to the area around this time, you can certainly combine them.
In conclusion
The Tsipouro Festival in Nea Peramos is one of those authentic local events worth marking in your calendar if you’re in the Kavala area around 1 November. A free glass of tsipouro, grilled sardines and dancing are a good reason to stop for a few hours – and we’ll try to come back next year with a real photo of tsipouro, not ouzo.