The Dodecanese Island of Rhodes will host the 17th Medieval Rose Festival this weekend with dozens of events and happenings in the Old Town quarter of the island’s capital.
Young and old will have the chance to experience the ambience in the Medieval park and tavern at the D’Amboise Gate, which leads to the Knights of St. John’s Palace of the Grand Master. Constructed between around 1309 to 1523, the medieval town of Rhodes was included on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list in 1988.
Parades and performances will be taking place throughout Rhodes’ Old Town starting from the moat. Happenings include sword fights and reenactments of battles, a sword-fighting workshop for children, an introduction to old board games, dance performances and theater acts, concerts featuring Medieval music, fire shows, Medieval dances, stilt walkers, crystal ball and fire performances, chess lessons, traditional archery shows, alchemists in action, mosaics and traditional rope-making workshops, a Medieval printing press demonstration and a minting workshop using medieval techniques, and fairy and folk tale narrations.
Marking the International Day of Older Persons (Oct. 1), this year’s festival welcomes the Rhodes Senior Citizens Club in traditional outdoor games.
The XVII Medieval Rose Festival comes to a close on Sunday at the Palace Bastion with a concert featuring medieval bagpipe and percussion music after the parade at 7.30 p.m..
Lastly, the tavern in the Medieval Park will be serving local wine and cold delicacies inspired be Medieval cuisine.
The annual event is jointly organized by non-profit cultural organization The Medieval Rose, the South Aegean Region, and the Rhodes Municipality.
Photo credit: Medieval Rose Festival
Earlier this year, the Rhodes Medieval Festival was awarded EFFE 2024-2025 certification by the European Festivals Association recognizing the event’s contribution to the preservation and promotion of Rhodes’ culture and heritage and for encouraging community involvement.
Fore more info on the Medieval Rose Festival go here.
