With an enthusiastic response from the audience and an atmosphere filled with flavors, music, creativity, and authentic Cypriot moments, the 2nd Cypriot Tradition Festival, “Cypriot and Authentic,” took place on Sunday, September 27. The outdoor area of the Alfamega Hypermarket in Engomi was transformed into a large Cypriot festival, where people of all ages gathered to celebrate everything that makes up the cultural identity of our country.
Amid a vibrant setting of tradition and culture, visitors had the opportunity to get a closer look at the flavors, music, customs, and arts of Cyprus, enjoying a celebration that brought different generations together and created beautiful moments of sharing and participation.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The Festival authentically highlighted elements of Cypriot cultural heritage, evoking memories for the older generation and introducing the younger generation to a Cyprus that knows how to be hospitable, celebrate, and share. Cypriot coffee, milk with rose petals, warm palouzes, trahanas, and halloumi were offered to the crowd, bringing traditional flavors to life. Of course, the celebration wouldn’t be complete without souvlaki and kleftiko, bringing friends together around the table and, with them, the atmosphere of authentic Cypriot hospitality.
Christina Christofi, chef and Brand Ambassador for Alphamega Hypermarkets, enriched the culinary experience with her own creative touch. Drawing inspiration from the flavors of Cypriot cuisine, she prepared traditional pourgouri with tomatoes, while working alongside guests of all ages to make Cypriot “sklinitsia,” the beloved handmade village-style pasta.
The celebration, however, wasn’t limited to food. Young and old alike took part in traditional games, such as rope skipping, egg races, and sack races, while getting a firsthand look at techniques and trades that are an integral part of the region’s folk tradition.
A special place at the festival was reserved for Mr. Hambis, who demonstrated the art of “pithkiavli,” and Mr. Andrikos with his “vourkes,” giving the audience the opportunity to discover handmade objects and skills passed down from generation to generation. At the same time, through workshops on mosaics, ceramics, and weaving, children and adults experimented with different materials and techniques, transforming tradition into a hands-on experience of creativity and participation.
The festival culminated in music and song, with Michalis Tterlikkas and Angelos Avgoustis treating the audience to traditional melodies that have stood the test of time and continue to bring generations together.
Through the “Cypriot and Authentic” Festival, organized for the second consecutive year, Alfamega Hypermarkets sought to create more than just an event. They sought to offer visitors a gathering place for family and community, where the region’s cultural heritage becomes a real experience through flavors, creativity, music, people, and authentic moments.
The enthusiastic response from the public reaffirmed, for yet another year, the love for our region’s cultural identity and gave the event a special momentum, while also highlighting the essence of the festival and the importance of keeping tradition alive by experiencing it and passing it down from generation to generation. This is perhaps the most beautiful message of “Cypriot and Authentic”—that everything we loved about the Cyprus of yesterday can still have a place in today’s world, as long as we continue to remember it, share it, and pass it on to future generations.
Alphamega Supermarkets: Tradition unites us. Cyprus inspires us.
