Sappho’s Island Is Calling: Why the Eressos Women’s Festival Still Matters

Each late summer, Skala Eressos on the Greek island of Lesvos transforms into something more than a beachside retreat. It becomes a rhythm of drums echoing queer joy, a dance of bodies under the sun, and a space of radical tenderness. From September 7 to 20, the International Eressos Women’s Festival returns – and with it, a celebration of lesbian community, intergenerational bonds, and unapologetic freedom.

This isn’t just a festival. It’s a homecoming.

A Herstory Rooted in the Aegean

Skala Eressos is no random spot on the map. It’s the birthplace of Sappho, the ancient poet whose verses still pulse with longing between women. For decades, lesbian women and their allies have flocked to this village to walk in her shadow – or rather, in her shimmering legacy. The volcanic cliffs, the vivid sunsets, and the cafés lined with rainbow flags aren’t just aesthetic – they’re sacred.

What began in the early 2000s as a modest grassroots gathering has grown into one of the world’s most iconic lesbian festivals, drawing women from across Europe and beyond. Still proudly non-commercial and community-driven, the festival remains anchored in feminist values, creativity, and collective joy — this is a proudly trans-inclusive event that welcomes a broad spectrum from the LGBTQI+ community.

This year also marks a milestone: the festival’s 25th anniversary. A testament to its enduring legacy and importance.

What to Expect in 2025

The upcoming edition promises a rich and eclectic programme: from daily yoga and walks to creative workshops in singing, photography, dance, drumming, football, screen printing, Greek cookery, tarot, and writing. One of the much-loved highlights? The Alternative Fashion Show – a festive, subversive evening supporting local animal charities.

This year’s outdoor cinema will feature Lesvia, an award-winning documentary by local filmmaker Tzeli Hadjidimitriou. The film traces 40 years of lesbian presence in Eressos – the love, the struggles, the laughter, and the community it helped shape.

Eressos draws a crowd as vibrant and diverse as queer womanhood itself: elders who remember early feminist movements, Gen Z backpackers discovering their roots, artists, dreamers, and chosen families from around the world. You’ll hear Greek, English, Dutch, German — and laughter in all of them. In recent years, the festival has seen an upsurge in Australian and American visitors too.

Why It Still Matters

In a world where queer spaces are too often commodified or politicised beyond recognition, Eressos offers something else: ease. It’s a place where women can simply be – with their joy, their grief, their stories, and their freedom.

There are no VIP wristbands here. Just sun-warmed conversations, music in the air, and the shared recognition of home in each other’s eyes.

So whether you come for the community, the sea, or just to dance barefoot at sunset — know that you’ll be welcomed with open arms.

Let’s make queer herstory – together, in Eressos.

International Eressos Women’s Festival
September 7–20, 2025
festival.lesvos.com