The 20th Pontian dance festival in Thessaloniki brought the region’s performance tradition together with the memory of those who preserved it. The Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece dedicated the anniversary event to Giorgos Parcharidis, the federation’s founder and honorary president.
The festival took place on Sept. 26, 2026, at PAOK Sports Arena. It was scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., with free admission. Naftemporiki’s headline described the meeting of living memory with the unique tradition of Pontus.
The festival’s history began on Oct. 29, 2005, at Thessaloniki’s Palais des Sports. According to the federation, about 1,500 dancers took part in the first nationwide Pontian dance festival, while roughly 5,000 spectators watched from the stands.