Carnival 2026 in Athens

Speaking about this year’s festivities, OPANDA President Roxani Bei highlighted the city’s focus on neighborhood-based celebrations: “This year, we designed a series of activities where tradition meets the contemporary city, bringing Carnival customs from every corner of Greece into the squares and parks of our municipal districts. What truly makes me happy is that every neighborhood will host its own children’s celebration. Families won’t need to travel far to experience Carnival—the celebration comes to them, to their local square and park.”

Tsiknopempti with Music at Varvakios Market

Tsiknopempti celebrations on February 12 will begin in a distinctly traditional spirit with a Carnival ritual procession by the Cultural Society of Dance Art “Bacchae.” Starting from Syntagma Square at 11:00, the procession will end at Kotzia Square, where the traditional custom of the Kordelatoi from Naxos will be reenacted.
As in previous years, Varvakios Market will be at the heart of the festivities. The Municipal Philharmonic Orchestra of Athens will set the rhythm at 11:00, followed by traditional dances performed by adult groups from the city’s Creative Learning Centers. The morning will culminate in a special folk concert by the Workshop of Greek Music.

Children Take Center Stage

Young masqueraders will be the true stars of Carnival 2026. Across cultural venues and neighborhoods, children will be welcomed into educational programs combining tradition, learning, creativity, and fun, as well as lively Carnival parties.

The city’s Creative Learning Centers, Municipal Gallery, Arts Center, Athens Children’s Museum, and municipal libraries will host dedicated children’s Carnival events, including visual arts programs, creative workshops, and family-friendly theater performances. At the same time, squares and parks in every municipal district will come alive with children’s Carnival celebrations featuring music, dance, face painting, balloon art, and traditional gaïtanaki dances.
A major highlight for young revelers will take place at Zappeion on Sunday, February 15, at 11:00, with the colorful event “The Carnival of the World”, featuring music, dance, stilt walkers, games, face painting, balloon creations, a Chinese dragon, and plenty of surprises.

Music in Every Neighborhood

The Municipal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Big Band, and the Workshop of Greek Music will perform across multiple locations in Athens. Percussion ensembles will fill the streets with Carnival rhythms, while traditional groups featuring daoulia, clarinet, violin, and accordion will accompany ritual processions. The program also includes special concerts dedicated to Carnival and satirical songs, as well as traditional Zakynthian serenades.

Reviving Greek Carnival Traditions

Cultural associations and local groups will revive customs from across Greece, including the Kordelatoi of Naxos, the Flamboura Wedding of the Sarakatsani, and a wide range of traditional dances. At the Museum of Folk Art and Tradition Angeliki Chatzimichali, the painting exhibition “Let’s Go Like We Used To…” will run until April 19, nostalgically recreating life in the taverns and neighborhoods of old Athens.

Carnival Sunday in the City Center

The peak of Athenian Carnival celebrations will take place on Sunday, February 22. The Carnival parade will begin at 17:00 from Syntagma Square, with revelers, dance performances, and percussion bands moving through Ermou and Aiolou streets toward Kotzia Square.

At 19:00, the square will host a large Carnival party with live music, presented by Dimitris Makalias. The parade will open with the Municipal Philharmonic Orchestra, while groups such as Bloco Swingueira, Global Daoulia, the cultural association “O Molyvos,” and a cheerleading team will keep the rhythm alive throughout.
Radio station Lampsi 92.3 will broadcast live, while Athens DeeJay 95.2 will provide a continuous Carnival soundtrack.

Clean Monday at Philopappou Hill

On Clean Monday, February 23, Philopappou Hill will once again become the meeting point for traditional Koulouma celebrations and kite flying. Under the Attic sky, the Municipal Philharmonic Orchestra will welcome the public with music from 11:00, followed at 11:30 by an island-style traditional feast with the band of Nikos Oikonomidis.