A seven-metre statue of a winemaker installed in Limassol ahead of the 65th Wine Festival

A seven-metre statue of a winemaker in a traditional Cypriot costume was installed on Monday in Limassol’s Municipal Gardens, where it is placed every year ahead of the Wine Festival. In 2026, the festival will be held for the 65th time.

The figure depicts a man wearing a vest and vraka — wide trousers considered the main element of Cyprus’s traditional men’s costume. He holds a clay wine jug in one hand and a bunch of grapes in the other. The statue’s installation was accompanied by a local orchestra.

Limassol Mayor Yiannis Armeftis said preparations for the festival had entered their final stage. “I invite everyone on 26 September, when the Wine Festival begins; it will run until 4 October. I think the 65th Wine Festival will be even better than last year’s. I invite everyone from every corner of Cyprus to come and spend carefree days here,” he said.

The festival will be open at the Municipal Gardens Theatre from 19:00 until midnight. Wine will be served from 19:30 to 22:00 at the stands of 16 wineries. Admission costs €5 for adults, €3 for teenagers aged 13 to 17, while children under 12 enter free when accompanied by adults. A glass costs €1.50–€2.50, and a plastic wine bottle costs €1.50.

The programme includes live music, theatre performances, shadow theatre for children, pottery workshops, and cartoon and photography exhibitions. On selected days — 26 and 27 September, and 2, 3 and 4 October — free buses will run to Limassol from Nicosia, Larnaca, Ayia Napa and Paphos; places are limited and advance registration is required.