60th Dimitria Festival Welcome: Return to the city’s historic markets

“Thessaloniki Otherwise”: An on-the-go event brings the historic center to life for the 60th Dimitria Festival

At a time when historic city centers are changing rapidly, both in terms of housing and commercial use, transforming and losing their traditional identity, Thessaloniki is facing the transformation of its own center.
The city’s traditional markets, its iconic commercial spaces, are currently in a transitional phase, searching for an identity for the future. At the same time, for the younger residents of Thessaloniki, the history, uses, and buildings are a terra incognita worth exploring.

On Saturday, September 27, the event “Thessaloniki Otherwise”—a collaboration between parallaxi and the 60th anniversary of Dimitria—invites the public to an on-the-go event. With a guide, we walk and enjoy a series of activities from Kapani to Bezesteni, which bring the historic center to life. This collaboration has been preceded by emblematic projects involving thousands of people, such as the reenactment of the 1917 Fire in the event “The Spark Became a Fire,” the “Stories of the White Tower,” and the reenactment of the arrival from the Asia Minor Catastrophe with the event “The City That Welcomed Them.”

We welcome the anniversary celebrations as they deserve!

Start: 11:30 a.m. Agia Sofia Metro Station
The Paranaue percussion band and the Dancaue dancers, who follow them, lead the audience from Agia Sofia, Tsimiski, and Aristotelous streets in a musical parade in front of open and closed shops in the Kapani Market.

11:30 a.m. Iliisia
The musicians of Kroustofono start from Iliisia, cross P. Mela, play in Agia Sofia Square, and arrive at Kapani via Ermou.

At the same time, volunteers from Dimitria distribute informational material to the public.

12:00 p.m. Kapani
The musical parades end at the entrance to the Kapani market with a musical meeting of the two orchestras.

At the entrance to the market, on Aristotelous Street, an aerial acrobatic performance takes place by the acrobats of Olga Deliaki’s team.

This is followed by a narration in the small square of the Market by tour guide Christina Mavini on the history of the Kapani, Vlali, and Modiano markets.

A short string concert by the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchstra with musicians Dima Goudimov and Evangelia Hatzipetrou.

We will depart from the site of Lambrakis’ assassination, where we will hear the relevant narrative and be guided through the now deserted markets of Saul Modiano and Karaso and their history.
At the same time, Motiliani’s rolls will be illustrated in the heart of the city with murals by well-known street artists who will change the appearance of the abandoned area. Street Artist Giannis Bouzoukis.

12:30 p.m. Vasileos Irakleiou
In the car-free section of Vasileos Irakleiou between Venizelou and Ionos Dragoumis, choreographer Tatiana Papadopoulou and the Dancers of the North present a performance inspired by the history and present day of the market area.

This will be followed by a guided tour of the history of the area, the Stoa Saoul and Agios Minas.
In the courtyard of the church of Agios Minas, a classical music ensemble accompanied by a clavinova will perform a concert inspired by the history of the site, conducted by Stavros Giannoulis. The musicians are Ourania Antonopoulou (soprano), Stavros Giannoulis (tenor), Dimokritos Tsantalis (tenor), and Valeria Charitidou (piano).

1:00 p.m. Malakopi Arcade
Our Thessaloniki City Symphony Orchestra welcomes us to Fragomachala with music at the Valoritou fountains.

A contemporary dance group performs at the entrance to the listed building. Dancers: Athina Tsapoura, Dimitra Foukala, Melina Tsausidou.

In the arcade opposite (1 Ermou Street), a short jazz concert by Achilleas Mesaikos and Sotiris Moudouris.

Guided tour of Fragomachala and the Malakopi arcade.

1:40 p.m. Bezesteni
At the rear of Bezesteni, a dance performance begins, organized by the Professional School of Dance of Thessaloniki Municipality and directed by Polly Voikou.

Narration of the history of the area and the remarkable buildings of interwar Thessaloniki that have been preserved, as well as the Bezesteni market.

Inside Bezesteni, tenors from the State Conservatory welcome the audience from the balconies to the city’s last indoor market.