Although promoting choral art and producing high-quality performances on stage are of primary importance to the organizing committee, the International AV Choral Events are all about developing a comprehensive life experience for the participating choir members, conductors and visitors. In light of this, the International AV Choral Events organize different social events that either include live performances from the choristers (e.g. Festival Parade and Open Concerts) or involve live performances from local bands.
The Festival Parade
This event applies only for the AV Choral Events in GREECE. The festival parade is typically held on Saturday noon between the time interval of 12.00-14.00. Choirs participating in this event have the unique opportunity to march from the initial meeting point (Holy Church of Panaghia in Karpenissi) to the central square of Karpenisi (city center), wearing their costumes, and singing together with the municipal band. The parade convey ends up to the central square of Karpenisi where local authorities and festival organizers welcome the choristers and all choirs perform their most impressive song in a single-song a Capella (unofficial) performance. This year, the festival visitors will have the opportunity to taste local products, such as local sweets, barbeque products, aperitifs, raki (tsipouro), feta cheese, etc, to dance and to become one with the locals. Participation to this event is mandatory unless strong religious or other reasons apply for the choir.
Festival Gala(s)
The Festival Gala(s) are joyful celebrations where participating choirs get the chance to eat, drink, sing and dance together while listening Greek rhymes/music by a live orchestra. During these events, choristers and choirmasters of different nationalities get to know each other better and meet with the members of the organizing committee. The Festival Gala(s) are typically organized right after the end of the Festival events (close to 22.00) in a big Gala rooms in the near proximity of the hotels. Participation to the Festival Gala(s) is OPTIONAL and requires a-priori registration. The number of participants, the days of participation as well as the type of reservations (free drink or buffet) should be indicated in the Festival form but can be updated by June 1.
Outdoor Activities & Open Concerts
During the Open Concerts, the friends of choral music and the festival visitors will have the unique opportunity to actively participate in theme-days in accordance with the features of the Open Concert venues. For the AV Choral Events GREECE the visitors will have the opportunity to perform in the exceptional River Art cafe and the Saloon park near Karpenisi. During the Open Concert in River art, the local artist and architect of the place Mrs. Dora Terzi will use colors to depict the sounds produced by the choirs participating in the event on a painting. Each choir will receive its painting and after the open buffet, each group member will have the opportunity to bring an item that will be painted by the artist. On the other hand, the Open Concert in the Saloon Park offers to interested choir members the opportunity to participate in numerous activities for all ages in a well organized and secure space, including horse riding, climbing rappel, archery, mountain bike riding as well as little Indian canoe, small train in the woods, trampoline and aerial passage over the little valley of the saloon. Registration fees are detailed in the application form.
Some outdoor activities include:
Visit to the Holy Monastery of Panaghia (Madonna) Proussiotisa : Although this event is not an official AV Choral Event, a visit to Karpenisi is almost always accompanied with a visit to the incredible monastery of Panaghia Proussiotisa in the Prousos area. Interested group members will travel through a breath-taking cliff to reach the Holy Monastery, visit the village of Proussos and taste local products, such as the Proussos Prosciutto. Similar visits to other nearby villages, such as Fidakia, Megalo Chorio (Big Village) and Mikro Chorio (Small Village) can be part of the choir’s itinerary.
Sea tour to Lichadonesia : According to mythology, Herculys’ wife, Dihanièra, thinking that she was a deceiver, sent him a poisoned tunic with him. At the time that Hercules wore the chiton and began to suffer from the pains he grabbed the servant and hurled him to the sea. Its members fell around the Cape Kineio, where Neptune transformed them into small islands, known today as the Lichadonisia. In fact, the islets are the result of volcanic activity and a large part of them was sunk by an earthquake that occurred in 426 BC. This new event enables the visitors in Karpenissi to take a small day trip to a cluster of 7 small islands in the northwest of Evia between the Maliakos and the Northern Evoikos Gulf, just to 2 hours away from the Karpenissi city center. The beach and the waters of Lichadonisia are probably among the most beautiful in the area. Golden sand and turquoise shades make up the scenery of the beautiful spot that you will enjoy swimming. The waters are relatively warm and shallow for several meters from the coast.
Trekking tour in Panta Vrechi Waterfalls: One of the most impressive and beautiful areas of the prefecture of Evritania is the Panta Vrechei (Always Raining) gorge which is located between the villages of Roska and Doliana or otherwise Stournara (Doliana and Stournara are the village) to the south of the prefecture. Its name is due to the fact that in an area of the gorge which does not exceed the length of the 80m of icy waters that come from the steep mountain of Kaliakouda in their attempt to become one with the waters of Krikeliotis river they find a way out of springs at the tops of the gorge beautiful waterfalls, due to their high height but their flow is not continuous and compact but it breaks into a large radius in small and large drops creating a continuous artificial rain turning the already beautiful scenery into enchanting whatever. Small groups will reach the place with jeep and then trek through the river to reach the Panta Vrechei, which will compensate the group by the wild beauty of the landscapes.
Some interesting photos and information of the respective events can be found in the Gallery and Karpenisi tabs.
