Want to learn how we harvest walnuts and enjoy unforgettable autumn moments of relaxation and downtime in the mountains? Want to give your children a reason to leave their screens behind and experience October with autumn adventures in nature? Then there’s only one destination: Vamvakou, Lakonia, on Mount Parnon! Autumn gets off to a dynamic start in the village—with walnuts! The month of the walnut harvest inspires a rich program of events for all ages: enjoy theatre, music, culinary experiences with walnuts, nature walks, games, technology, and hands-on activities. Vamvakou Revival invites you to discover the magic of autumn through a multifaceted program realized as part of the Vamvakou Revival initiative, made possible thanks to an exclusive grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
This October in Vamvakou:
Our young friends lead the way! The annual walnut harvest is made easier using robot mechanisms that children design themselves at the V.Lab (Vamvakou Technology Lab, fully powered by SNF). In the forests around the village, young explorers join the Forest Magician Fyssoun on a unique treasure hunt. Back at school, enjoy “1000 reasons to fight”—a performance for parents and children—and connect through theatrical play, clay, and creative activities. If you are passionate about gastronomy, savor traditional walnut pie and cookies lovingly made by the Vamvakou Women’s Cooperative and let a melodious afternoon with the amateur four-voice mixed choir “Michalis Macheras” bring you closer to music, tradition, and shared history. Hike on Mount Parnon trails, cycle among walnut trees, unwind with a relaxing massage, and celebrate the fruit of autumn, the walnut, through activities designed to deepen your connection with nature, tranquility, and local tradition. And if you are a leisure enthusiast, don’t miss taking a stroll along the Digital Cultural Route for a unique journey back in time. Put on your headphones, scan QR codes found on mirror columns throughout the village and let Vamvakou share its stories with you.
Detailed events program:
Sat 11/10:
-Walnut harvesting with 3D robot mechanisms (10+ year olds)
-Cycling to the walnut farms (12+ year olds)
Sun 12/10:
-Treasure hunt with magician Fyssoun (5 -10 years old)
Sat 18/10:
-Clay Play Stories: A Walnut with a heart of natural clay (for all)
-Mountain view massage (for adults)
-“1000 Reasons to Fight” – Tik Tak Nto Theatre company (children 3+ and parents)
Sun 19/10:
-A Different School (for all)
Sat 25/10:
-Cycling to the walnut farms (12+ year olds)
-Walnut pie & walnut cookies | Live cooking with Women’s Cooperative “Vamvakia” (for all)
-Mountain view massage (for adults)
Sun 26/10:
-Sunday musical afternoon with “Taygeti” Friends of Music Society and the amateur four-voice mixed choir “Michalis Macheras” (for all)
Daily:
-Digital Cultural Route “Vamvakou narrates its stories” (for all)