Samothraki Dance Festival

The information below is for the 2005 Samothraki Dance Festival. The 2006 Samothraki Dance Festival dates are not yet available, but it was expected to be held in July, 2006. However, as of June, 2006, no new information was available. This controversial festival, which is regularly raided by local authorities, has been threatened with cancellation before but has always pulled through. But don't pay for that plane ticket just yet...

There is a Samothraki World Music Festival or Thraki Ethnic Festival slated for July 21st-23rd, 2006, which looks worthwhile, but it is not the old Samothraki Dance Festival.

Samothraki Festival

Get to Samothraki if trance dance, ambient, dub, freestyle, or world music is your favorite. Spreading forty-five live acts out over three stages, plus dozens of top DJs, this seven-year-old fest is drawing more and more visitors to the island of Samothrace, also called Samothraki.

While the 2005 Samothraki Dance Festival itself ran July 21st-24th, those in the know expect an "after-festival" party that may add another couple of days to the proceedings.

2005's Samothraki Festival lineup included Omar Faruk, Ross Daly, Whirling Dervish Mevlana, Mode Plagal, One drop, Peppe Barra, Lino Cannavacciouolo, Ziad Rajab, Kostas Anastasiadis and the didgidimensions, M'Barka Bentaleb, Vorei Etairi, Paranaue, Abdullah Chhadeh & Nara, Atiko Minus, the happy dog project, and Mario Pirovano.

Since last-minute changes will happen, if you just have to see a specific group slated to appear at the Samothraki Dance Festival, check their individual websites or newsletters for updates as cancellations may not always be posted.

Tickets for the Samothraki Festival

In 2005, international orders for tickets were being processed at OnLine Stall. Remember what you actually pay will depend on the conversion rate at the time of purchase or processing by your credit card company. Be aware that additional fees may apply for international transactions depending on your card issuer.

Greek ticket orders are being processed by Ticket Hellas. They are also available at Metropolis music stores throughout Greece.

Here is a page of photos from the 2003 Samothraki Dance Festival. If the text fails to show, swipe your mouse over the page to light it.

Trying to make last minute arrangements? Check the Samothraki Dance Festival site at http://www.SamothrakiDanceFestival, especially the chat room and message board. Note: this site is sometimes disabled between events; check it close to the event date.

Caution
Be aware - reports of drug use and other problems have inspired local authorities to raid the festival in the past. They did so with particular vigor in 2003.

Getting to the Samothraki Dance Festival:
To get to the Samothraki Dance Festival, sometimes called the Samothrace Dance Festival, most travelers will take a boat from Alexandroupolis on the coast, 29 nautical miles away. Although it is part of the same group of islands as Lesbos and Chios, it can be very difficult to get to Samothrace from either. Your best bet is from Alexandroupolis which offers a hydrofoil as well as other ferries.