A Greek cultural celebration has made its way into the beautiful setting of the Peninsula Hot Springs on the Mornington Peninsula outside Melbourne.
During a recent visit to the oracle of Delphi and an exploration of the ancient theatre of Epidaurus and its sanctuary of Asclepius, Charles Davidson, the founder of Peninsula Hot Springs, experienced an epiphany.
He envisioned a festival in Australia that would merge the healing experience of thermal bathing with the vibrant culture of Greek music, film, and food. His vision is now coming to life during the inaugural “Hot August Nights” festival, set to take place over three days, from 15 to 17 August.
“I was visiting hot springs all around Greece, thermal centres in various places. But on the way back, when I was at the Peloponnese, a friend urged us to go and see Epidaurus. And I visited, and it was so inspirational that I said, we must celebrate Greek culture. The Greek diaspora is so strong in Australia,” Charles Davidson told Neos Kosmos.
Davidson felt that the celebration of arts and culture at Epidaurus should inspire the events that will now take place annually at Peninsula Hot Springs. The Sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus, the earliest organised sanatorium, stands as a testament to the ancient world’s healing processes.
“It was all about healing, and being connected to the beauty of nature, culture, and bathing. Epidaurus had three bathing houses in the Asklepion!” Charles Davidson said.
This philosophy is at the core of the wellness centre Davidson opened on the Mornington Peninsula nearly twenty years ago. Since his first submersion in a hot tub in Japan, Davidson has travelled to 54 countries to explore healing springs that have been invigorating humans since the beginning of time.
“I hopped in a hot bath in Japan in 1992. It was my first time, and it was an epiphany. It became my dream to bring the global culture of hot springs to Australia.”
Peninsula Hot Springs has celebrated Aboriginal culture since its opening nearly 20 years ago, followed by Chinese culture during Lunar New Year and recently Indian culture with the Diwali festival.
Now, the Greek Festival will join these key cultural celebrations, culminating in the annual Awaken Festival each autumn, where all cultures are celebrated together.
“The intention was to create a place where we have international understanding through hot springs. Because everybody shares waters. We don’t have borders on water; it is something we all share and should care about. To be connected by water is a natural place for us. I mean, we are 70 per cent water!” Davidson said.
During his last visit to Greece, Davidson drove nearly a thousand kilometres exploring thermal baths across the country.
“We also went to Delphi. Though it’s not thermal, the Oracle of Delphi used to sit on top of a thermal vent, and that’s where she got her inspiration from. And I went there, and it really inspired me to do something for this festival. We are having some Greek elders come and talk to us about their lives. That sort of philosophy and the idea that we seek wisdom and knowledge from our elders was partly inspired by the Oracle of Delphi.”
The three-day Greek-themed celebration will include screenings of iconic Greek movies, conversations on Mediterranean lifestyle with elderly Greeks, workshops, Greek music by James Demertzidis and Jordan Karantonis, and a concert with Jason Taylor, the voice of Neil Diamond, alongside his 10-piece ‘Hot August Night’ showband in tribute to the performance at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on 24 August 1973.
To Charles Davidson, wellness means feeling whole and happy. He hopes that this inaugural Greek Festival will trigger a sense of joy to all and that attendees can embrace the spirit of the event – where all can draw inspiration from the beautiful Mornington Peninsula setting, ancient Greek wisdom and nature’s gifts.
All entertainment is complementary with Bath House Bathing entry. For more information, visit www.peninsulahotsprings.com/events
