Carnival in Athens is a vibrant and joyous celebration that sweeps through the ancient streets, infusing the city with color, music, and revelry. From lively parades for kids to masked balls, this festive season brings together local families and visitors alike. Let’s explore some of the most fun carnival activities for kids in Athens and other parts of the city!
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Athens will host a city-wide Carnival (Apokries) program from February 12 to 23, with 65 free events taking place across 50 locations, the Municipality of Athens recently announced.
The program spans neighborhood squares, cultural venues, markets and public spaces, combining traditional Carnival customs, live music, family-focused activities and large public celebrations. The Carnival season will wrap up with Clean Monday (the first day of Orthodox Lent that marks the start of the fasting period leading up to Easter), which will once again be marked with open-air festivities and kite flying on Filopappos Hill.
A series of flagship events will shape this year’s Carnival program, from traditional Tsiknopempti celebrations in the city center to family-friendly festivities, live music performances, and the grand Carnival Sunday parade.
- Varvakeios Market will once again serve as the main hub of the day’s celebrations, with the municipality’s Philharmonic Orchestra setting the rhythm at 11:00, followed by traditional dances and a folk concert by the Greek Music Workshop.
- Carnival activities for kids in Athens with cultural venues and neighborhoods hosting activities that blend tradition, creativity, and fun. Events will take place at the Creative Learning Centers, the Art Gallery, the Arts Center, the Children’s Museum of Athens, and municipal libraries.
- Additional children’s festivities will also be held in squares and parks across the city, featuring music, dancing, face painting, balloon creations, and games.
- On Sunday, February 15, families will gather at Zappeion at 11 am for “The Carnival of the World,” one of Athens’ most colorful celebrations, featuring dancing, stilt performers, a Chinese dragon, and many surprises.
- Music will fill the city throughout the season, with the Philharmonic Orchestra, Big Band, and Greek Music Workshop performing across Athens. Percussion ensembles and traditional groups will accompany customary routes, alongside concerts of carnival songs and Zakynthian cantatas.
- Greek Carnival customs from across the country will come to life through cultural clubs and associations, including the Kordelati of Naxos and the Wedding of Flambouras of the Sarakatsanai. The Museum of Folk Art and Tradition “Aggeliki Hatzimichali” will host, until April 19, the painting exhibition “Let’s go as before…”.
- The festivities will culminate on Carnival Sunday, February 22, with a grand parade starting at 17:00 from Syntagma Square and ending at Kotzia Square, where a major carnival party with live music will take place at 19:00.
The Carnival season will conclude on Clean Monday, February 23, with the traditional Koulouma gathering on Filopappos Hill, featuring kite flying, live music and an island-style communal feast.
The Festivities For Tsiknopempti
Tsiknopempti festivities (February 12) will begin with a traditional carnival procession by the Cultural Society of Orchestral Art “Bacchai,” starting from Syntagma Square at 11:00 and ending at Kotzia Square with a reenactment of the Kordelata custom of Naxos.
Tsiknopempti (Greek: Τσικνοπέμπτη and the favorite holiday of my daughter :)) is part of the traditional Apókries (Απόκριες), the Greek Carnival season. It occurs on the second-to-last Thursday before Lent, and its name translates to “Charred Thursday” or “Smoky Thursday.” What makes this day special? Well, it revolves around the consumption of copious amounts of grilled and roasted meats before the fasting period of Lent begins. If your kids are like mine, they will surely enjoy this holiday.
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Here are some activities going on in Tsiknopempti:
- Meat Extravaganza: Picture large outdoor parties where the air is thick with the aroma of sizzling meats. Families gather to feast on juicy souvlaki, succulent lamb chops, and other mouthwatering Greek delicacies.
- Smiles and Sizzles: Tsiknopempti-like celebrations often continue on a smaller scale the following Sunday. This marks the final day when meat can be enjoyed before the strict fasting of Great Lent leading up to Easter.
- Greek Orthodox Tradition: Since fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays is essential, Thursday becomes the perfect day for Tsiknopempti.
Remember, whether you’re savoring grilled meats or celebrating a veggie-filled lifestyle, Greek traditions and family joy are at the heart of it all! There is plenty of vegetarian and vegan food in the Greek cuisine too.
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