Carnival of Xanthi

12 February-02 March 2020

Greece » Xanthi

In Greece people die for celebrations and festivals. Each anniversary becomes the occasion for fun and celebration, culminating in the period of Carnival. Three weeks full of music, dancing, parties and fun. People of all ages get disguised , events and parties are held everywhere, in every corner of the country and large parades with floats and disguised participants, organized by local communities, conducted both in large and smaller cities.

The carnival of Rio may be spectacular and famous, monopolizing the global interest, but we also have our own different carnival, a combination of masquerade and folkloric tradition. It's not en event coming from abroad. Its roots lie in ancient Greece and the religious celebrations in honor of the god Dionysus. During these celebrations in ancient Athens a chariot parade was taking place with dancers and singers, disguised with masks, to follow, singing satirical songs.

The most famous - for the organization and its size - carnival in Greece is that of Patras with Xanthi's carnival following. Parades with floats, karykatoures and other creations - art and endless imagination, carnival costumes and thousands of participants, equipped with lots of fun and the mood for dancing and entertainment.The Carnival of Xanthi with a history of 55 years, is now an institution, an integral part of the wider Thracian Folklore Festivals, that consist of many cultural events, concerts and exhibitions. The entire "city with a thousand colors" is coordinated to the carnival rhythms and gets ready to welcome thousands of people both from Greece and from neighboring countries for a wild party full of music, dance and events on the streets and the bars of the area.

From February 12th to March 2nd 2020 we, then, have an appointment in the beautiful Xanthi, to experience up close this unique Carnival Festival which takes place only once a year, but it remains memorable for a lifetime.

 

 


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