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Greece’s largest carnival opens on St Anthony’s Day and builds for weeks — balls, a city-wide treasure hunt, a night parade — to a Sunday procession of satirical floats and tens of thousands of costumed revellers, ending with the burning of the Carnival King in the harbour.
A town-wide game
The Patras Carnival, first held in 1829, is the largest event of its kind in Greece; in 2019 there were about 750,000 participants. It is not a single event but a season of balls, parades, a treasure hunt and a children’s carnival, and its spirit is one of spontaneity, improvisation and volunteering.
On 17 January a town crier — in recent years a float with music — announces the opening with a satirical message, and in the evening the mayor declares the carnival open from the balcony of the Apollon Theatre, with pantomime, dance, music and fireworks. Carnival groups of friends, colleagues or neighbours, from fifty to several hundred people each with its own name and costume theme, then compete in the treasure hunt: questions on history, philosophy and maths, clues hidden around the city, painting and theatre contests.
The last weekend
On Saturday evening comes the night parade on foot. The Grand Parade begins around noon on Sunday: satirical floats built by the municipality, followed by an endless stream of groups — 35,000 to 40,000 people in recent years — watched from the streets, balconies and stands and on national television. That night the carnival ends at the port with the burning of the Carnival King’s float, concerts and fireworks.
開催時期
The carnival opens on 17 January, St Anthony’s Day, whatever the date of Easter. It reaches its climax on the last weekend before Clean Monday, which follows Orthodox Easter, so the Grand Parade falls between mid-February and late March.
- 2027年1月17日Opening, St Anthony’s Day算出
- 2027年3月14日Grand Parade and closing ceremony算出
- 2028年1月17日Opening, St Anthony’s Day算出
- 2028年2月27日Grand Parade and closing ceremony算出
- 2029年1月17日Opening, St Anthony’s Day算出
- 2029年2月18日Grand Parade and closing ceremony算出
- 2030年1月17日Opening, St Anthony’s Day算出
- 2030年3月10日Grand Parade and closing ceremony算出
敬意をもって訪れる
安全のために
- Crowds are huge on the final weekend. Keep valuables secure.
- Greek police arrest people for rowdy or indecent behaviour, especially when heavy drinking is involved, and some fancy-dress costumes may be considered offensive under decency laws.
出典
この項目は次の資料をもとに書かれています。
- Patras CarnivalWikipedia · 2026年9月17日 閲覧
- List of dates for EasterWikipedia · 2026年9月17日 閲覧
- Greece travel advice: safety and securityUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · 2026年9月17日 閲覧
関連する祭り
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