From July 28 to August 3, the village of Kypseli in the Tzoumerka mountains of Epirus will host the Zig Zag Festival – “Freedom, a Bridge from Earth to Sky.” This international arts event celebrates contemporary art, culture, and intercultural collaboration, blending artistic creation with nature and tradition in an immersive, participatory experience.
A Festival Rooted in Place and Creativity
Founded in 2021, the Zig Zag Festival aims to connect Greek and international artists with local landscapes, traditions, and communities across lesser-known regions of Greece. Hosted previously in Ysternia, Tinos (2021–2022) and Kissos, Pelion (2023–2024), the festival changes location every two years to encourage creative renewal and highlight the richness of the Greek countryside through art. This year marks its first appearance in Epirus.
The selection of Tzoumerka, and Kypseli village specifically, underscores the festival’s goal of bringing contemporary art into settings of authentic cultural identity. Artists across disciplines—including sculpture, painting, new media, music, and performance art—will present works in indoor venues and public spaces, turning the village into a living, ephemeral artistic canvas.
Weeklong Program of Art, Music & Community
More than 20 contemporary artists and curators from Greece and abroad will reside in the village’s guesthouse and participate in a weeklong program featuring:
Art installations
Evening concerts
Guided tours and talks
Interactive, community-based activities
The festival blends art with architecture, gastronomy, and local sounds, offering a “cultural zigzag” between the present and tradition.
Empowering Local Economy & Heritage
Festival activities support the local economy through accommodation, daily interactions with shops, and collaboration with tavernas, guesthouses, and cultural landmarks. Visitors are encouraged to actively engage with village life, deepening connections between artists, residents, and the broader public.
Key cultural sites included in the program:
Monastery of Evangelistria Kypselis (1700), adorned with remarkable frescoes
Plaka Bridge (1863), the largest single-arched stone bridge in the Balkans
Red Church (13th century) in Vourgareli, a Byzantine gem of Tzoumerka
The old primary school and the Folk Art Museum of Kypseli serve as central hubs for the festival’s exhibitions and dialogues.
A Unique Cultural Encounter in the Mountains
With its untouched landscapes, deep-rooted traditions, and welcoming communities, Epirus provides an ideal backdrop for this kind of artistic and cultural exploration. The Tzoumerka region, with its stone bridges, mountain scenery, and living heritage, offers fertile ground for new forms of expression, building bridges both literal and symbolic, and breathing new life into cultural tourism in Greece.
