Through the years, the people of Perista created many opportunities for escape from their daily routines, from the cares of ordinary life. Festivals had high social and economic importance for villages in the area - it brought people from many of these villages together that, during other times of the year, almost never met.

On June 30th, Perista celebrates the festival for the Holy Apostles. The festival for St. Elias the Prophet is held on July 20. Before the sun even rises over the Psoriari mountain, one can see villagers - women dressed in their finest traditional wear - climbing the hill to the church of St. Elias. Some climb by foot, some ride on mules and donkeys to get there in time for the church service. After services, the villagers drink and dance in the church courtyard, and continue the merriment in the village square later that afternoon.

The Metamorphosis of Sotiros is celebrated on August 6, and is by far one of the largest and well-attended festivals of the year. Peristians return from Athens, Agrinio, Nafpakto and the US to attend the festival, as do people from nearby villages such as Platanos, Vonorta, Milos, and Perkos. After the church service at St. Sotira, and a short outdoor lecture by the head priest, dancing commences in the open area outside the church, with Peristians and people from Platanos leading the way. In the afternoon, the festivities continue in Perista's central square, accompanied by some of the finest live bands and clarinet players in all of Roumeli.

The festival of the Virgin Mary is celebrated on August 23, but without the accompaniment of modern musical instruments: the only instruments leading the festivities are the reed pipe and the tambourine. The festival of the Baptist is held on August 29; villagers wake at the crack of dawn to visit the Church of the Prodromos, bearing seasonal fruit and vegetables to offer to the saint.

The people of Perista do not limit themselves simply to their own festivals, however. Their enduring thirst for fun and human contact lead them to those of other villages as well. They go to Vonorta, to the festival of St. Taxiarchis at Perko, to that of St. John at Kastania, to that of St. Marina at Tripitsa, and of course to that of the Virgin Mary at Prousos. In return for a favor or a blessing, some make promises to the Holy Mother that they will make the twelve hour trip on foot and without shoes, and so it is not unusual to see these faithful people making the difficult trek on August 23.