AEF2025: Live at the Platea

The Athens Epidaurus Festival celebrates its 70th edition in 2025, with 95 days of artistic brilliance featuring over 3,000 artists from 14 countries. From iconic venues in Athens like the Herodeion, Pireos 260, and the revived City of Athens Lycabettus Theatre, to the grand finale in Epidaurus, the festival brings the world’s top performances to Greece’s stages.

This year’s programme includes world premieres, new commissions, and exciting artistic strands such as Contemporary Ancients, which reimagines Greek tragedy, and Fierce Women in Performance, exploring gender and power. The GRAPE – Greek Agora of Performance platform highlights emerging Greek talent, while the Subset Festival brings experimental sounds to the stage. Cycles Roots revisits folk traditions with a fresh twist.

Check out our curated picks from this year's programme here.

into a laid-back summer stage with a line-up of live music straight after the evening’s main performances. And as always, it’s free.

Curated by saxophonist Dimitris Tsakas, the series moves across genres with ease: from Latin and acid jazz to Balkan brass, funk, and jazz-infused remixes of the unexpected. Whether you’re here for the groove or just staying on after the show, there’s rhythm in the air.

It all kicks off on 30 May with the Rosanna Mailan Orchestra and their high-energy Latin set. From there: Vagelis Stefanopoulos Sextet (31 May–4 June) serve up disco licks and 70s-style acid jazz; Yiannis Kassetas J-Funk Project (5–8 June) mix jazz-funk with Beatles and Hendrix covers; and Yiannis Oikonomidis Group (12–16 June) bring a brass-fuelled blend of Afro-Cuban and Brazilian jazz. Idra Kayne (19–22 June) drops smooth R&B and dancefloor vibes, while LOS TRE (26–27 June & 21–23 July) fuse West African grooves with psych colour. Gadjo Dilo (5–8 July) swing the Greek classics, and MC Yinka (13–16 July) keeps it urban with funk, reggae and hip-hop. The closing act on 24 July is Banda Entopica — with clarinets, brass and streetwise energy.

Come for the music, stay for the courtyard mood.