Summer Oracle (Dodoni)Καλοκαιρινό Μαντείο Δωδώνης

An annual late-August cultural festival focused on ancient Greek drama and the Dodona oracle tradition. Organized by the DI.K.E.P.E.T. of Ioannina, the “Summer Oracle” (Καλοκαιρινό Μαντείο) workshop runs August 27–September 7 (2025) with performances, lectures, and acting workshops at the ancient site of Dodona and venues in Ioannina 1. It draws inspiration from Aristophanes’ *The Birds* and the legend that Dodona’s oracle was guided by the flight of sacred birds 2. The festival is open to drama students and the public, featuring courses on acting, voice and movement, culminating in public theatrical performances and lectures on ancient culture.

This festival revives the cultural heritage of Dodona, the oldest oracle of Zeus in Epirus, linking contemporary performance arts to classical traditions. Each year’s theme (e.g. “The Word in Birds”) evokes Dodona’s mythic founding by birds (the peleiai) and connects participants to the site’s historical significance as an ‘oracle’ 1. It embeds Hellenic literary culture in local identity, illustrating how modern Greeks engage with their ancient past through communal art.