The Festival of Artemis in Brauron was held in Artemis’ honor

Ancient Greece celebrated Artemis with a number of festivals, such as Elaphebolia, Mounikhia, and Brauronia. Elaphebolia, which honored Artemis Elaphebolos, was celebrated in Athens and Phocis (deer slayer). On the sixteenth (full moon time) of the Mounichion (spring) month of the Attic calendar, Mounichia was celebrated in Athens. However, Brauronia, which was celebrated in the Attic city of Brauron, was the most significant celebration related to Artemis.

Brauronia was once observed every four years, but later it was becoming a yearly occasion. Girls between the ages of five and ten who had been assigned to serve the Goddess for a year at the sanctuary of Artemis in Brauron made up the majority of the festival attendees. Greek legend claims that a bear used to frequent the village of Brauron and eventually killed a girl after being taunted. After that, the bear was slain by the girl's brothers, which infuriated Artemis. In order to please her and atone for the bear's murder, the Greek goddess required young ladies to "play the bear." The young girls were therefore referred to as "little she-bears" during their time in service, and dressed in saffron robes to represent bear hide. To honor the goddess, participants also performed a dance known as arkteia, which mostly included solemn steps meant to resemble a bear's gait.