From August 28 to 31, Syros is planning to host the 9th Rebetiko Festival “Markos Vamvakaris’ Syra”, an event that has now become a leading cultural event for the island and the genre. The festival is held in collaboration with the Municipality of Syros-Ermoupolis and the Cycladic Development Company (KETAN) of the Cyclades Chamber and has been under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture since 2017.
The initiative began as an idea in 2015 and over the course of eight years has managed to offer the public authentic rebetiko evenings of high quality. Last year’s 8th Festival was a great success, attracting more than 4,000 visitors and raising expectations for even greater momentum in 2025.
Each event includes a complete and structured program of events with rebetiko as a point of reference, often through Markos Vamvakaris’ relationship with Syros. Concerts by leading artists and representatives of the genre, including musicians from abroad, frame the program, along with exhibitions by Greek instrument makers who preserve and promote traditional folk instrument making techniques. At the same time, workshops are held on playing techniques, the history of folk music and theatrical performances inspired by rebetiko.
The event has become a reference point for this particular musical genre in Greece, strengthening the cultural identity of Syros and contributing to its emergence as a tourist destination. The influx of visitors from neighboring islands and abroad strengthens local entrepreneurship, from tourism and catering to the purchase of cultural products.
This year’s festival will highlight the musical and thematic diversity of rebetiko, highlighting the influences and exchanges it has received over the decades. Along the way, the genre borrowed and offered elements from folk and island music, classical, light, Balkan, swing and Latin American music, while its creators skillfully balanced between the Piraeus school and other forms.
Centered on Markos Vamvakaris and the rich heritage of rebetiko, the 9th Festival aspires to offer the audience four days full of sounds, images and memories that connect Syros with the living history of Greek music.
