Street Mode Festival; Thessaloniki’s finest

September is about come and I couldn’t help but thinking of my lovely Thessaloniki. September is no doubt a difficult month. Some say that September for the year is what Monday is for the week; too tiring till it’s over. After all, “Wake me up when September ends” by Green Day is still a hit. Students are rushing back to town, ready to start all over the new academic year. Everyone’s back from holiday and officially autumn begins! The dog days are over! Back to reality, right? Well, living in Thessaloniki helps you in fact transition back to real life kinda easily. The city is bustling with festivals, with the biggest and most important one being Thessaloniki’s Street Mode Festival.

Time to turn yourself on “street mode”

© Photo: Street Mode Festival

As I said, since you’re back to Thessaloniki, it’s about time you turn yourself on “street” mode and enjoy live music, DJ sets, shows and contests of graffiti, street art, street dance, parkour, skateboarding, longboarding and much more! The festival complies with exhibitions, workshops, games, children activities, and other side events.

With its roots in the streets, Street Mode initially began as a series of events taking place in an open – public space, aiming to present all the elements of street culture together.

But what is the street culture and how is it portrayed in the festival?

When talking about street culture, things like urbanization and urban culture come to mind. However, the definition of the street culture is actually something really vague. It can be broken down into multiple subcultures, since everyone has their own way of understanding and portraying the street culture’s elements. Some prefer expressing it through arts and music, while others through innovations. However, one thing that cannot be argued, is that the street culture derives from originality, creativity and diversity!

The festival’s organisers define street culture as a subculture developed mainly in the urban areas of Thessaloniki and is freely expressed through arts, such as graffiti and breakdance, or through skateboarding or parkour, followed and represented always by the sounds of hip-hop, punk rock and ska or reggae music.

This year’s line up

© Photo: Street Mode Festival

International Acts (A-Z):

DOG EAT DOG USA DOPE DOD NL DUB INC FRA ELECTRIC SIX USA GODFATHERS ENG JAYA THE CAT USA/NL LA PEGATINA ESP LIONIZE USA MARKY RAMONES BLITZKRIEG USA MONKEY 3 SWI NEW MODEL ARMY UK OCEAN WISDOM ENG PHIL CAMPELL & THE BASTARD SONS ENG REPETITOR SRB SAMSARA BLUES EXPERIMENT GER SKILLER BUL STONED JESUS UKR TALCO ITA THE GREAT MALARKEY ENG THE REAL McKENZIES SCO THERAPY? NIL TOO MANY T’S ENG YAWNING MAN USA

National Acts (A-Z):

63 HIGH BAD MOVIES BEGGARS BLOODY HAWK CORE THE BAND DEAF RADIO FER DE LANCE FUNDRACAR OLDSCHOOL REDNEX PANX ROMANA PUTA VOLCANO RNS SLEEPIN PILLOW SOLMEISTER THE LAST DRIVE TWINSANITY and more.

Ready to feel the street’s vibes?