The City Dionysia was held in late March (between the first quarter and the full-moon of the month). It concluded the Dionysian part of the year (Winter) and honoured Dionysos Eleuthereus (Dionysos the Free, in the form of an incarnation of the god that had been brought from Eleutherai, a country village, and was kept in the temple of Dionysos in the theatre district). The City Dionysia combined performances of both Tragedy and Comedy. As such it represented both grief (that the god had died) and joy (that he had returned from the Dead). At the enigmatic centre of the festival was the notion that Dionysos existed in two aspects: amongst the Dead, yet still alive on earth.

Since the City Dionysia was not as old as other Dionysian festivals (especially the Older Dionysia or Anthesteria), it was not under the control of the Sacred King (the Basileus) but rather an Arkhôn (or Chief). The Arkhôn supervised the organisation and the initial procession of the festival as well as its dramatic contests.

Before the performance of plays proper, a Proagôn (or preliminary contest) was held. This was a prelude to the dramatic contests (or Agônes). During the Proagôn, each poet stood with his actors, wearing garlands but not masks or costumes. They stood on Okribas (or temporary platforms) and announced the subjects of their plays, thereby giving the audience a chance to see the actors and chorus of each play without their masks on.

The Festival consisted of the following stages:

Eisagôgê - The Bringing In

In the Eisagôgê (or Bringing In) the ancient wooden image of Dionysos Eleuthereus was taken from the temple to the city by the Epheboi (or Young-men) as part of a torch-lit procession. Dionysos was thus symbolically brought to the theatre to witness contests staged in his honour. In a secret ritual in the sacred precinct of the Theatre, priests of Dionysos sacrificed a black male goat (or Tragos) on a Thumele (or sacrificial altar). Later in the evening the sacred image of Dionysos was returned to the temple in the theatre district.

Pompê - Procession

On the morning of the following day there was a procession to the temple of Dionysos. This marked the official beginning of the festival. It was led by a man who sounded the Tyrrhenian Salpinx (or Etruscan Trumpet); this both called the god and announced his arrival. Next came a Kanephoros (or aristocratic maiden). The Arkhôn also headed up the Procession. Following on from this most distinguished group came the Obeliaphoroi in pairs; Skaphephoroi, who carried offering trays; Hudriaphoroi, bearing water jugs; Askophoroi, carrying leather wine-skins; and the young man who carried a Thumaterion (a vessel that contained a sacred fire). The Epheboi led the Axios Tauros (a Worthy Bull) that was to be sacrificed at the temple as a representation of the sacrifice of Dionysos. After procession and sacrifice, there was a banquet at which festivalgoers fed on beef from the sacrifices and the wine of Dionysos.

Cômos - Revel

In the evening of the first day came the Cômos (or Revel); in which men lit torches and went around the city, singing and dancing to the accompaniment of reed-pipes (auloi) and harps.

Agônes – Contests

Over the next three days, three "teams" competed in the dramatic contests. Usually new plays were offered to Dionysos, but sometimes the best ones from earlier years were performed. The Arkhôn chose the poets long before the festival and assigned a Khorêgos and Chorus to each of them. By the time performance day arrived, then, each company was ready for the competition.

Every day at dawn a sucking-pig was sacrificed to purify the theatre and libations poured to Dionysos. Awards were announced to whomever the city owed thanks, then three Tragedies and a Satyr Play were performed (in the morning), followed by a Comedy (in the afternoon).