The International Eressos Women’s Festival is an annual cultural programme delivered by Sappho Women each September in Skala Eressos, Lesvos.
Each edition of the festival includes a programme of workshops, talks, live performances, DJ sets, exhibitions, and social activity.
The festival brings together a unique range of visitors, artists, facilitators, and contributors from Greece and abroad. The scale and shape of the programme change from year to year, depending on resources and capacity.
Following year-round planning and coordination, the festival is Sappho Women’s primary programme and the area where most resources are currently concentrated.
How It Started
The festival was initiated in 2000 by Sappho Travel, a local travel business in Skala Eressos. At the time, women were already travelling independently to the village in significant numbers. The festival was created as a way to offer structured activities during September, extend the season, and respond to an existing women’s presence in the area.
For the following years, the festival was organised and financially carried by the travel business. As the programme grew in size and complexity, it became clear that this model was no longer sustainable.
Transition to Sappho Women
In 2010, the festival was transferred to the newly formed non-profit organisation Sappho Women.
This change provided a legal and financial framework that allowed the festival to continue, introduce access wristbands, manage budgets transparently, and operate independently from the travel business.
While the legal structure changed, the operational work remained with the same people. The festival has always been organised locally, by those based in Skala Eressos.
A Local Presence With Wider Impact
For 25 years, the International Eressos Women’s Festival has been consistently taking place every September in Skala Eressos. Over time, it has become a fixed point in the village calendar, shaping how that period of the year functions for residents, workers, and businesses.
The festival operates at a scale that requires planning, coordination, and oversight well beyond the event dates themselves. Its effects are local first, and practical in nature.
Local Economy
Each September, the festival brings sustained activity to Skala Eressos at a point when the season would otherwise be slowing down.
Accommodation fills. Hospitality and retail remain open longer. Local services see consistent demand. For many businesses, this period plays a significant role in how the rest of the year is balanced.
This effect developed gradually, through repeat visits and a reliable annual programme, rather than one-off tourism.
Community Reach
The festival brings together women from Greece and abroad within a concentrated timeframe. Many return repeatedly, recommend the village, and remain connected beyond their visit.
This creates an extended network that continues outside the festival dates through collaboration, communication, and project-based activity.
It is not a formal membership structure, but a recurring point of connection centred on Skala Eressos.
Capacity and Responsibility
Delivering the festival requires year-round administrative work. This includes programme planning, contracts, permits, insurance, staffing, safety management, and coordination with local venues and services.
Operational decisions are made in line with available resources and local infrastructure. The scale of the programme is adjusted accordingly, to ensure it can be delivered professionally and responsibly.
Where it Sits Now
Today, the International Eressos Women’s Festival remains Sappho Women’s most visible and resource-intensive programme. It is not the organisation’s only area of interest, but it currently defines our capacity, responsibilities, and reach.
Maintaining this programme at a professional standard requires us to be selective about other commitments, ensuring we do not overextend our core administrative structure.
Full festival programme, tickets, and practical information can be found at: