Symposium International dance festival brings over 400 dancers to Heraklion and Chania September 4-7
The 3rd International Dance Festival Symposium International takes place September 4-7, 2026, in Heraklion and Chania, organizers said. More than 400 dancers from across Greece, as well as from Turkey, Cyprus, the Netherlands and Germany, are set to take part.
A main dance performance is scheduled for Saturday, September 5, 2026, at the Gate of Jesus bastion in Heraklion, presenting Greek dances alongside dances from participants’ home countries. Organizers said the performance will be preceded by a ceremonial procession through central points of the city, with participants carrying flags and banners, accompanied by the Municipality of Heraklion’s philharmonic orchestra of 40 musicians.
Throughout the festival, 17 internationally recognized dance instructors will lead classes, and organizers said dance gatherings featuring Cretan food and hospitality will also be held. Visitors looking for other cultural programming in the city can find further options among events in Crete, including the Malevizi Festival opening the same weekend in Gazi.
Chania will also host festival events, with the old harbor set to be transformed into a large gathering on the evening of Sunday, September 6, 2026, bringing together dances from multiple continents, from Latin America to Asia, according to organizers.
Organizers said this year’s festival has drawn a record number of participants from Turkey, with more than 200 people taking part.
The festival is produced by Dora Satolia, who also organizes the International Zeibekiko Festival (Izefa), the decade-running Superstars Dance Shows in Athens, and Venigrefest, a Greek dance festival held in Venice, among other productions. Readers interested in broader cultural offerings on the island can also explore experiences in Crete.
Further information on the festival is available on the organizer’s official website, www.satolia.com.
