This weekend marks the climax of the “Apokries” festivities, Greece’s Carnival season, preceding the period of Easter Lent for Orthodox Greeks. Athens is transforming into a vibrant hub of celebration, with its neighborhoods bursting with colorful shows, music and dance performances, carnival parades, games, and a plethora of free events for all ages.
Dancing in Plaka and Carnival Enthusiasm
On Saturday, March 1, cultural spaces across Athens promise surprises. At 11:00 am, children’s carnival festivities featuring animators and face painting will be held at Dimitris Beis Park, Dionysiou Areopagitou Pedestrian Street, and Filopappou Hill.
Meanwhile, an engaging activity titled The Lost Spirit of Carnival will be held for children aged 7-15 at various squares, including Agia Aikaterini, Agios Andreas Lamprinis, and Gkyzi.
At 12:00 pm, Klafthmonos Square sets the stage for an open-air performance titled Two Grooms – One Bride, presented by the Zakynthian Folk Theater Agios Dionysios. The play draws inspiration from 17th-century carnival traditions.
In the afternoon, at 5:00 pm, the Athens Municipal Art Gallery will host Digital Costumes with VR Masks, a unique artistic event for families with children aged 8-12. Young visitors will engage in designing imaginative digital costumes using virtual reality masks. Registration is required (Tel: 210 5202420, 210 3242023, Monday – Friday, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm).
Grand Carnival Parade and Show in Athens
The celebrations will reach their peak on Sunday, March 2, with a grand parade and a spectacular show in the city center, organized by the Municipality of Athens in collaboration with the Athens Chamber of Commerce.
The event will be accompanied by the Athens Philharmonic Orchestra, live broadcasts from radio stations at Syntagma and Kotzia Squares, and a concert by Decibel Band, featuring hits from the Greek pop and rock scene from the ’70s to today.
The highlight of the day will be the grand carnival parade at 5:00 pm, traversing Syntagma Square, Ermou Street, Aiolou Street, and Kotzia Square.
A dazzling spectacle with costumed revelers, dance performances, stilt walkers, and a Chinese dragon, will entertain the people, and at 7:00 pm in Kotzia Square, Decibel Band will take the stage.
Carnival Extravaganza in Glyfada
On Sunday, Glyfada’s Student Carnival promises extravagant floats, creative costumes, clowns, dancers, and live music. The carnival kicks off at 11:30 am with the parade following a route through Gounari Street and Akrokorinthou Street, culminating at Macedonia Square, where the King of Carnival’s float will be ceremoniously set ablaze, followed by a high-energy concert from the popular Greek band Alcatrash.
Piraeus’ Colorful Carnival Party
On Saturday, Piraeus invites revelers of all ages to a grand carnival celebration in Korai Square from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Hundreds of kites will be distributed by the Municipality of Piraeus for children to fly on Clean Monday, adding a splash of color to the city’s sky. Additionally, Kiddie Academy’s art workshop will offer children the chance to make unique decorative mini-kites and carnival masks.
Nikaia & Agios Ioannis Rentis Carnival Adventures
The 31st Annual Carnival of Nikaia-Agios Ioannis Rentis will conclude on Sunday with a jam-packed schedule featuring serenades, a treasure hunt, jugglers, animators, stilt walkers, face painting, and interactive games in the city’s squares. The grand parade in Rentis will take place on Fleming Street at noon.
A Colorful Celebration in Alimos
Alimos’ main carnival parade will take place on Sunday at noon, along Kalamaki Avenue. The celebrative parade will feature local clubs, schools, and elaborately designed floats.
Afro-Brazilian Rhythms at Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) marks the beginning of Lent with a program of live music, dance, and creative activities for children. On Sunday, the Afro-Brazilian percussion band Bloco Swingueira, DJ Palov, and the Latin group Los Petralonicos will bring vibrant energy to the Park.
Meanwhile, the artistic event Ornitho-Transformations will let children explore the world of birds through imaginative mask-making, which they will then wear to dance in the carnival spirit.
Unique Festivities in Peristeri
The Municipality of Peristeri is organizing a special carnival experience in the enclosed space of the Peristeri Exhibition Center. The final weekend of the carnival season is dedicated to children, featuring workshops for face painting and mask-making, games, entertaining challenges, a Mega Cinema screening, theatrical performances, parties, and a live concert.
On Sunday, the excitement continues with a grand children’s parade at 3:00 pm, followed by a stand-up comedy performance at 7:00 pm.
