By Evie Andreou
IT’S carnival time again, with the two rival towns of Limassol and Paphos vying for the most colourful, and often satirical, parades of floats, crooners and cheerleaders.
Limassol, the traditional host to the biggest event on the island, kicked off the celebrations with this year’s King Carnival and the festive mayor taking to the streets for another tradition, ‘Tsikno Pempti’ or the Stinky Thursday, when eating and drinking is allowed prior to fasting.
Choirs and serenaders started from Limassol’s Saripolou Street and four other locations at noon as this year’s ‘King Carnival of Melody and Song’ soon joined with mayor Andreas Christou to officially kick off the ten-day festivities.
Christou said that Stinky Thursday is the most beautiful day of the festivities because people are out in the streets and communicate with each other, share a glass of wine and listen to the serenaders.
A DJ carnival party took place at the Enaerios parking place followed by the ‘Carnival 2015’ painting exhibition at the town hall.
The highlight of the day was at 7pm, when Andreas Vryonides, this year’s King Carnival, received the crown from last year’s king, ‘Memorandum the Great’.
Following the coronation, ‘King Carnival of Melody and Song’ made an entrance on his chariot, accompanied by his entourage, mayor Christou and the municipal board, Limassol’s EDON serenaders, the choir Modernoi Kairoi, the municipality’s philharmonic, cheerleaders of the Cyprus Girl Guides, and Limassol cheerleaders, as well as the Batucinio percussion group.
The procession began from Grigoris Afxentiou Square and passed from the Anexartisias, Agios Andreas, Karaiskakis, Stasinos and Andreas Droushiotis roads ending up in Plateia Iroon.
A carnival party followed with the Ritmo Di Carnaval band.
The town’s municipality has been organising the carnival since 1958, but carnival events have been taking place since the early 20th century.
The Carnival festivities will last until February 22. For information visit: http://www.limassolmunicipal.com.cy/carnival/programme_en.html
Paphos welcomed its own King Carnival on Thursday, aptly dubbed the Punisher, on a float with an ‘anti-graft’ theme, inspired by current affairs that have been troubling the town for several months, and which “have hurt all of us, our dignity and pride”, said the municipality’s cultural officer Ermina Mai.
The King made his entrance at 3pm accompanied by the Paphos municipality’s philharmonic and cheerleaders. He started from Grivas Digenis Avenue, passed through Kennedy Square and Makarios Avenue and ended up in the Pervola municipal parking space.
Mai said that this year, 4,000 people will march in the grand carnival parade along Grivas Digenis Avenue. Festivities will end on February 23, when the Paphians will celebrate Green Monday at Faros beach at noon, with music, dancing and a kite flying contest.
