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Corfu’s calendar is built around Orthodox Easter and the feast days of Saint Spyridon, the island’s patron saint, plus a February carnival that dates back centuries. Dates for Orthodox Easter shift each year because they follow the Julian calendar, so confirm the exact Sunday before you book flights. Here is what to see and when. For more, see our things to do in Corfu guide.
Corfu Events and Festivals: Spring and Easter
Corfu Carnival (February)
The Corfu Carnival runs for about three weeks through February, ending with the Grand Carnival parade on the last Sunday before Clean Monday. The centerpiece is the Petegoletsia, a comic street performance in the old town where locals act out satirical sketches from their windows. The events are free; the parade route runs through the Liston and Spianada. For more, see our Corfu neighborhoods guide guide.
Greek Orthodox Easter (April or early May)
Corfu’s Easter is the island’s biggest event of the year. On Good Friday the epitaphios processions from each of the town’s churches converge on the Liston, and on Great Saturday morning residents throw clay pots from balconies to mark the First Resurrection, a custom unique to Corfu. At midnight on Saturday, fireworks and candles fill the Spianada. Book accommodation three to six months ahead; the town is at capacity. See our best time to visit Corfu guide for planning around the date. For more, see our where to stay in Corfu guide.
Corfu Events and Festivals: Summer
Varkarola (mid-August)
The Varkarola is a floating evening concert held in Paleokastritsa bay, usually on the first or second weekend of August. Boats decorated with lights carry choirs singing cantades, the island’s traditional serenades, and the night ends with fireworks over the water. It is free, but arrive hours early to park; the road into Paleokastritsa closes to traffic in the evening. For more, see our Corfu travel tips and FAQ guide.
Feast of Saint Spyridon (August 11 and other dates)
Saint Spyridon, whose relics are kept in the church of the same name in the old town, is honored with processions on several dates a year: Palm Sunday, Holy Saturday, August 11, and the first Sunday of November. The August 11 procession commemorates the 1716 repulse of an Ottoman siege. The silver casket is carried through the town streets with a marching band; it is a public event and free to watch. See our Corfu guide for the full picture.
Corfu Beer Festival (September)
The Corfu Beer Festival takes place over a weekend in September, usually in the courtyard of the Old Fortress, with Greek craft brewers, local Corfu beers, and live music. Entry is a small fee, and tastings are paid by the glass. Dates move year to year, so check the festival’s social pages a few weeks out.
Corfu Events and Festivals: Autumn and Winter
Saint Spyridon First Sunday of November Procession
The November procession of Saint Spyridon marks the saint’s protection of the island from a plague outbreak in the 1600s. It is smaller and quieter than the August event and offers a less crowded look at the same tradition.
Christmas and New Year in Corfu Town
Corfu Town keeps working through the winter holidays, with a Christmas market and lights along the Liston and Spianada from early December. Most beach resorts are closed, so base yourself in town; daytime highs sit around 15°C (59°F). For the winter climate in detail, see our Corfu weather by month page.
