Blog

Time for Carnival

February 13, 2017

The Limassol Carnival is the oldest and most popular folk festival in Limassol. This year, from February 16-26, the streets of Limassol will become a blaze of colour and craziness.

This year 116 participating groups are preparing feverishly with organisers, enthusiastic to surpass the record number of 2016. The 2017 list of groups and contacts can be found on the website All About Limassol.

The ambience in Limassol during the carnival season is best captured in a 1976 article: “During the carnival season the people of Limassol do little else other than party every single day, drinking, dancing and staying up all night.”

Carnival King Andreas Vryonides said: “I have been active in the carnival for over 30 years and was awarded the title of Limassol Carnival King in 2015. It’s an amazing experience to become the King, and the youngest one, too.”

After his enthronement, he visited hospitals, clinics, special needs children day care centres and performed the ‘King’s Ball Dance’, raising money for charity. Vryonides is currently staging a pre-carnival exhibition at his RODI Event Venue in Limassol until February 26.

Urban tradition

Interestingly the word “carnival” comes from old Italian “carnelevare” in the literal meaning – a removing of meat (referring to the Lenten fast). I assume the same derivation as “carnivore”?
The carnival festivities local to Limassol grew in scope, becoming an integral part of the town’s identity and culture.

No other town can quite compete with Limassol where the carnival is concerned. Attempts to compete have all resulted in resounding failures.

To this day, the carnival remains a strong urban and family tradition for the people of Limassol. A tradition handed down from one generation to the next. The main characteristics of the carnival festive season are the consumption of meat (tsiknomata in Greek) and wine, dancing and singing – particularly serenades – as well as masked revellers and costumes. Complementing the whole carnival atmosphere are the serenaders – the carnival hallmark.

Over the years, masquerades have been inspired by a variety of themes, including historical, political, movies, cultures of foreign countries, mythology and folk tales. The oldest and most traditional masquerades are the so-called ‘pellomaskes’ – makeshift, last-minute, goofy-looking masks which people wear to conceal their identity and to draw laughter, engage in satire and have fun.

Carnivals are a worldwide phenomenon, an outburst of tradition and joy that engulfs locals while providing photogenic entertainment for participants and on-lookers to witness.

Spectacular programme

Shrove Tuesday (from “shrive” – to get absolution for one’s sins through confession) is traditionally the last day for feasting and eating meat before Lent begins the next day on Ash Wednesday. The intention is to empty the larder of foods that will be “banned” for the following 40 days.

Shrove Tuesday 2017 is on February 28 and carnival celebrations officially begin 12 days before that on the 16th, when the Carnival Queen leads the entry parade around the town. Various events are planned for the following days, culminating in a magnificent final flourish when the Queen leads the Grand Carnival Parade on Sunday February 26. On this final day, more than 100 floats and an estimated 50,000 people take part in the procession through Limassol’s streets.
The carnival events and the merry-making in the taverns, nightclubs and hotels, peak on the two weekends. It is on these two weekends that the children’s parade and the main carnival parade are held.

Nowadays, the carnival festivities depend a great deal on private initiatives. Largely, too, on the Limassol Municipality to organise 11 days of festivities that include parades, outdoor dances, costume competitions and visual arts exhibitions.

The Limassol Municipality’s main aim is to achieve the largest possible participation of Limassolians in the festivities. And bring back elements which are related to the identity of the traditional carnival, as Limassolians remember and experienced it in the past.
Be prepared for Limassol town to become a community extravaganza!

Source : InCyprus