When hearing the word Carnival, the first thing that comes to mind surely is not Corfu. The truth is though, that Corfiot Carnival has a lot to offer and the variety of its events can satisfy every taste. To begin with, those carnival events start a week before the main Carnival weekend. The most famous between them are the parades of the choirs and the corfiot music teams that sing traditional corfiot songs, giving a special tone to these days.
Starting the events, I will mention only the most extraordinary of them. First, there is the “Krasodikio”, which means “the court of wine”. The most talented and active corfiots gather on the square, wearing masks and costumes and start judging one of their neighbors because he drank too much. The judges are very strict him, but in the end he manages to make them drink some wine, and then they all become drank, and start wondering around the streets of Corfu. In real time they carry a big barrel full of wine, and everyone is welcome to have a sip.
And then follows the day every Greek is waiting for! The fat Thursday when we all eat meat, just grilled meat of all kinds! Once more, music, songs and alcohol accompany the event.
On Saturday, we all go at the treasure hunting game, which ends with a stunning cheerleaders’ performance on the main square. Something of exceptional and pure beauty, as the girls have worked hard to present these formations and acrobatic tricks. Cheerleaders of every age, with colorful costumes, and smiley faces, from all the dance schools in Corfu, mark the start of the Corfiot Carnival.
The first Sunday of the Corfiot Carnival starts with a performance of the “Likio Ellinidon”, with traditional songs and dances of the carnival. And is continued with the first big carnival parade, that of the transmitter of “Sioras Carnival”, where carnival teams with their chariots, and dance schools with their cheerleaders take place.
On Thursday we all gather at the big street, and we watch the corfiot petegoletsa, which basically is a satiric presentation of the past and the present. Women come out of their windows and start gossiping and arguing with each other.
And slowly but steady we reach the glorious weekend of the carnival, something like which you have never encountered. Starting on Saturday, early in the afternoon we can enjoy the Venetian parade through Liston and the main streets of Corfu. This is the most unique event of the days as the costumes are glorious, and the parade at the picturesque streets of Corfu can take the visitor many years ago, when only the rich and the aristocrats could enjoy a walk on the Liston square.
The Saturday of the Corfiot Carnival ends with a kids party. Of course next to sea, as in Corfu summer never ends! And for those who didn’t had the chance to see the venetian parade, the Likio Ellinidon will repeat the parade on the last Sunday of the Carnival! Once more the whole town is filed with elegant ladies and gentlemen who stroll around the streets of Corfu, smiling kindly to the pedestrians who want a photo with them.
The same afternoon, the transmitter of “Sioras Carnival” marks the end of the Carnival. Once again we can enjoy the cheerleaders, dance to the music, and remember for just two seconds our childhood.
But the Corfiot “Sioras Carnival” is the luckiest of all. At the end of the parade, the cheerleading teams dance for him, and he decides which group was the best.
For all these reasons, and for many more, the Corfiot Carnival is the ideal solution if you aim for a more family-like carnival experience.