What is the Patras Carnival?
The Patras Carnival is the largest event of its kind in Greece and one of the biggest in Europe.
Giant decorated cars, carts and coaches, and colorful papier-mache figures fill the city streets for a full weekend of street parades and parties.
Thousands of carnival participants are organized into groups and dance holding torches in the dimly lit streets of the city. The only float allowed to participate in this parade is the Kings.
Need to Know
The Patras Carnival always commences on Saint Anthony’s Day, the 17th of January and ends on Clean Monday or the first day of Lent.
From the opening ceremony, the carnival is filled with a series of events and activities like parades, a treasure hunt, a children’s carnival and a lot more until its closing ceremony and the traditional burning of the carnival king!
Did You Know
It is said that the origins of this carnival can be dated back to ancient Greece, and is associated with the original Greek carnival, Dionysia.
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