The pulse of the carnival beats loudly in the city and young and old alike become part of the colourful celebration of Carnival with 80 events, organised by the Culture, Sports and Youth Organisation of the Municipality of Athens in 55 locations of the city. The bright children’s smiles of the little masqueraders, the frenetic mood of the big carnivalists, the carnival tradition and the revelry, make up an entertaining carnival that will unfold in the neighbourhoods of Athens.

In his message, the Mayor of Athens Harris Dukas notes: “Athens is putting on its carnival decorations earlier than ever before and invites everyone, young and old, to take part in this frenetic carnival celebration. For 23 days every neighbourhood of our city will be flooded with music, dance, song and cultural events. Come and have fun together, become children again, revive traditional Carnival customs and create memories that will stay with us for many years to come.”

Tsiknopempti with music and tradition

On Tsiknopempti 7 March, music and carnival tradition will flood the Varvakio Market, Monastiraki Square and the surrounding streets.The public will meet the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Municipality of Athens at 11:30 at the Varvakeio Market, while at 12: 00 the Cultural Society of Orchestral Art BACCHAE will start its carnival route from Syntagma Square, re-enacting the custom of the Cordellata of Naxos at Kotzia Square to end up at Monastiraki Square, where the band Charisma and Isidoros Pateros will entertain the audience with their music and songs.

The young masqueraders know Carnival and have fun in the neighborhoods

The children, the protagonists of Carnival, wear their colourful costumes and flood the squares and cultural areas of Athens, to have fun and participate in playuful activities, through which they will come into contact with the Carnival tradition. The Art Gallery, the Museum of Folk Art and Tradition “Angeliki Hadjimichalis”, the Plato Academy Digital Museum, the Libraries, the Creative Learning Centres and the Hellenic Children’s Museum welcome children and the whole family to participate in educational and museum-educational programmes, workshops in visual arts, construction, musical and kinetic arts, fairy tale drama, theatre games, etc, but also to attend music and dance events.

Carnival activities will also take place in the squares of Gyzi, Plyta, Agios Georgios, Agios Dimitrios (Panormou) and Kolokynthous Swimming Pool, as well as in the Park of Mayor Dimitris Beis, while the squares of Thymarakia, Agios Pavlos, Nathaniel and the pedestrian area at the junction of Gennaios Kolokotronis and Matrozou Streets, are transformed into the setting of a fantastic party that will lift the spirits of young and old alike.

The top carnival celebration, the regular rendezvous of the young carnivalists at the Zappeion, will take place on Sunday 17 March, where children will say goodbye to Carnival with music, dancing, circus artists, games and many other surprises.

Aroma of tradition and carnival routes in the streets of the city

Carnival, as a genuine Greek celebration with roots from antiquity, has a traditional character and is distinguished by its rich etiquette in various regions of our country. The Municipality of Athens brings out the element of tradition and Carnival customs, bringing them to its neighbourhoods. Throughout the carnival, cultural clubs will parade through the streets of the city to perform traditional dances and revive local carnival customs, which will introduce us to the spirit of Carnival, spreading fun and joy.

The traditional events continue on Sunday 10/03, with the carnival parade in Plaka by the Union of Zakynthians of Athens with serenades and traditional dances of Zakynthos, a carnival event at Platonos Square with playful events from all over Greece and live traditional music from cultural institutions of the area and the “Chorostasi” that will wander through the streets of Plaka with maypoles, events, carnival dances and songs, accompanied by live music.

On Saturday 16/3, the Association of Agriotes of Lesvos “Agios Dimitrios” and the Cultural Association of Traditional Dances and Cultural Activities “Molyvos”, promise us another trip to the carnival tradition of our country, with a route of revival of the “Patinada”, a local custom of Lesvos.

Finally, on Sunday 17/3, the end of the Athenian Carnival will take place with a big carnival procession in the city centre, an action of the Athens Chamber of Commerce, supported by OPANDA, with animators, jugglers, Brazilian percussionists and other entertainers.

The neighbourhoods of Athens will not be missing the carnival routes this year, flooding the streets with fun and rhythm. On Saturday 10/03 a carnival percussion route will take place (Attiki Square – Victoria Square) and the “Morfes Ekfrasis” will take the audience to Botanikos to a Carnival like in the old days, while on Sunday 16/03 the percussion ensemble Bloco Swingueira (Filopappou – Troon – Dorieon – Mercouri Square) will stir us up with Brazilian rhythm and dance.

Concerts, music and dance events and theatre performances

The Musical Ensembles of the Municipality of Athens will dress up the carnival events in various parts of Athens with their music throughout the carnival. The Philharmonic Orchestra will “walk” in the neighbourhoods, the Big Band with Martha Moreleon will give a jazz tempo to the carnival celebrations and the Greek Music Workshop with Dora Loizou and Manolis Skoulas will enhance the carnival feast with their melodies.

Also, this year’s rich carnival program of the Municipality of Athens is accompanied by concerts, music and dance events and theatrical performances in various cultural venues such as: Arts Centre (concert on 09/03), “Anna and Maria Kalouta” Cultural Centre (theatre performance on 09/03 and 10/03), “Melina” Cultural Centre (music and dance event on 10/03), Olympia, “Maria Callas” Municipal Music Theatre (music and theatre performance directed by Giorgos Vassiliadis on 10/3) and Kypseli Municipal Market (music and dance event on 13/03).

Αsh Monday, “traditionally”, at Filopappou Hill

The carnival culminates on Ash Monday, March 18, at Filopappou Hill, which has become a landmark for kite flying and traditional Koulouma, along with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Municipality of Athens and the Charisma band.