02-02-2010: “CARNIVAL 2010-An Athens Full of Smiles February 4-15”

This Carnival season, the City of Athens encourages
everyone to join a lively, cheerful celebration that will take place in both
the city centre and city neighbourhoods. A celebration for
people of all ages and tastes, it harmoniously blends traditions with
contemporary ideas and events that appeal to all citizens, children and city
visitors. The City of Athens
has given special priority to children, offering them as much as possible considering
that Carnival is a celebration for children, while it aims to ensure the
festive atmosphere is felt throughout city neighbourhoods.

The basic elements of this year's
event programme, a collaboration of the City of Athens Cultural Organisation, Music
Ensembles, Technopolis, Youth and Sport Organisation and School Welfare
Department, comprise Smoke Thursday (Tsiknopempti), children's events in the
centre and region, youth-oriented events in central Athens locations and an extensive programme
in the city centre and seven City Districts.

Events kick off traditionally on
Smoke Thursday (Tsiknopempti), February 4, at 11:30, in the Varvakios Market
with plenty of music and culinary treats, while the party will continue in the
evening in Plaka and at the City of Athens
Technopolis, where a retro party for senior citizens
will be staged. From Smoke Thursday through to Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera),
February 15, spirits will soar with a musical puzzle for all tastes, that
includes Latin, jazz, pop, rock and plenty of Greek music to be performed
morning and night in central city locations such as Syntagma Square, Thissio,
Monastiraki, Psyrri, Kolonaki and Ermou St. The celebration will also take
place in Athens
neighbourhoods with concerts in City Districts. Additionally, two major
youth-oriented parties will be held on Saturday, February 6, in Thissio, in
collaboration with Athina Municipal Radio 9.84 FM, and, on Saturday, February
13, on Syntagma Square,
in collaboration with radio station Athens Radio Dee Jay.

The City of Athens has utilized the Music Ensembles,
which have presented excellent work over the years, in the best possible
fashion. We will have the chance to enjoy the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber
Orchestra, Choir, Big Band, Greek Music Workshop and band De Stijl as they
perform in various locations throughout the city, as well as indoor venues,
during this year's Carnival celebration.

Children will have the time of their
lives on two weekends during Carnival season. Firstly, Athens primary school
students will be transformed into their beloved comic heroes and accompany
floats with corresponding characters in a parade organized in collaboration
with the City of Athens School Welfare Department, to be held Saturday,
February 6, that will begin on the corner of Sygrou Ave & the Dionyssiou
Areopagitou pedestrian walkway and conclude at the Thissio train station. A big
surprise awaits them at the end of the course!

On Sunday, February 7, and the
February 12-13 weekend, the party moves to the Zappeion, the classic Carnival
destination for children, where a super-sized stage will host various events.
The venue will be decorated Carnival-style, where floats, a Maypole, jugglers,
stilt-walkers and a DJ playing a special music programme await youngsters.
Balloons, masks and other items will be handed out to all children.

Additionally, the Youth and Sport
Organisation has organized 10 children's parties, to be held at the
Municipality's Cultural Centres, with the aim of giving children the
opportunity to not only have fun but also communicate.

Finally, the City of Athens Philharmonic
promises musical surprises for all city residents.

Carnival will conclude on Clean
Monday (Kathara Deftera), February 15, with kite-flying accompanied by the
traditional party featuring music and dance from throughout Greece, to be held
at four city locations: Filopappou Hill (10:00), Akadimia Platonos (11:00),
Lambraki Hill (11:00) and KAPAPS Woods (11:00).

This year, we hope to see everyone
at the City of Athens Carnival Events, for an Athens full of smiles,
rhythm, spirit and imagination!

For further information, call 210
3621601 or
the Citizens Helpline 1595.

 




Event Programme




Smoke
Thursday (Tsiknopempti), February 4 

• Varvakios Market, 11:30: We will celebrate with traditional
  meat-based treats provided by the Butchers' Association and Greek popular music
  performed by Yiorgos Vendouzas
• Plaka:  A musical stroll with the City
  of Athens Music Ensembles Choir.
• Kaniggos
  Square, 17:30:  Music by the Youth and
  Sport Organisation Youth Philharmonic
• City of Athens Technopolis,
  18:00: Musical evening for senior citizens: With Maria Kanellopoulou
  (Retro - Greek popular music)

Children's
events

• Saturday, February 6, 11:00 - Carnival parade featuring
  children and floats, from corner of Dionyssiou Areopagitou pedestrian walkway
  and Sygrou Avenue
  to Thissio train station. Latin music concert at conclusion.
• Sunday, February 7, Saturday, February 13 & Sunday,
  February 14, from 10:30 to 16:30 - Zappeion - Children's
  programme featuring DJ, dance shows, floats, stilt-walkers, jugglers. Balloons,
  masks and streamers will be handed out.
• Sunday, February 7: Puppet
  Theatre at the SOS Children's Villages.

Music Events in the City Centre

Wednesday
3/2

• Athina Municipal
  Radio 9.84 FM amphitheatre - Concert featuring City of Athens Music Ensembles band De Stilj and
  Konstandina

Friday 5/2

• Filomousou Eterias Square, 19:30 - Art song music by the group Ta
  Pitsirikia

Saturday 6/2

• Thissio, 13:30 - Youth-oriented party in
  collaboration with Athina Municipal Radio 9.84 FM
• Monastiraki, 20:00 - Greek popular music by the
  group Mousikes Diadromes

Sunday 7/2

• Ermou pedestrian walkway, 12:00 - Disco music by Vicky B and the group Plastic People
• Homeless Shelter,
  12:00 - Greek popular music featuring E. Askimakis and G. Tendzerakis
• Psyrri, 13:30 - Latin music by the group Culto la vita

Wednesday 10/2

• Parnassos Literary
  Society Concert Hall (Agios
  Georgios Square, 8 Karytsi St), 20:00 - Young Soloists
  Evening, organized by City of Athens
  Music Ensembles

Thursday 11/2

• Ermou St, Commercial Centre, 19:30 - Rock music by the group L.I.M.E

Friday 12/2

• Syntagma Square, 18:00 - Concert
  featuring City of Athens Music
  Ensembles band De Stilj
• National Opera foyer (59 Akadimias St),
  18:00 - "Un Ballo... and something else", Festive
  carnival concert featuring City of Athens
  Music Ensembles Chamber Orchestra in collaboration
  with the National Opera

Saturday 13/2

• Kolonaki, 13:00 - Jazz
  concert featuring City of Athens Music
  Ensembles Big Band
• Syntagma, 13:00 - Youth-oriented party in
  collaboration with radio station Athens Radio Dee Jay
• Monastiraki, 18:00 - Concert featuring City of Athens Music Ensembles Greek Music Workshop

Sunday 14/2

• Thissio, 11:30 - Art song
  and rock ballads by Crescendo the Band
• Filomousou Eterias Square, 11:30 - Music
  by the Youth and Sport Organisation Youth Philharmonic
• City of Athens Technopolis, 19:00
  - "A piano and 14 voices", a musical evening featuring young
  artists, in collaboration with 3rd City District
• Monastiraki, 20:00 - Concert featuring Brazilian
  percussion band Samba...
  more samba

10
Children's Carnival Parties - Youth and Sport Organisation (ONA)

• Evelpidon Multi-purpose centre (19 Evelpidon St), Friday 5/2 17:30
• Ano Petralona Cultural Centre (164 Dimofondos St), Friday 5/2 18:00
• Vafiochorios Cultural Centre, Saturday 6/2 10:00-17:00 (environmental)
• Formionos Cultural Centre, Saturday 6/2 11:00
• Agios Eleftherios Multi-purpose centre, Saturday 6/2 16:0
• Vafiochorios Cultural Centre, Sunday 7/2 10:00-17:00 (environmental)
• Kato Patissia Cultural Centre, Sunday 7/2 17:30
• Exarchia Cultural Centre (9 Tsamadou St), Monday 8/2 17:00
• Kato Petralona Cultural Centre (61 Athinodorou St), Wednesday 10/2 18:00
• Alexandras Ave Multi-purpose Centre (152 Alexandras Ave),
  Wednesday 10/2 18:30

Music in various City locations

Thursday 4/2

• City of Athens Multi-purpose centre (6a
  Timokreondos St, Neos Kosmos), 20:30 - Concert featuring Glykeria

Sunday 6/2 morning

• Kato Patissia train station, 11:30 - Music
  by the Youth and Sport Organisation Youth Philharmonic

Sunday 7/2

• Fokionos Negri St, 11:30 - Youth
  and Sport Organisation Youth Philharmonic

Monday 8/2

• City of
  Athens Multi-purpose centre, 20:00 - "The Barber
  of Seville", opera bouffe, by the City of Athens
  Music Ensembles
• Petrino, Votanikos, 18:00 - Greek
  popular music by Irini Toubaki

Tuesday 9/2 evening

• Athinodorou Cultural Centre, 19:00 - Greek
  popular music by Alexandros Georgiadis
• Grava Cultural Centre (Patissia), 18:00 - Greek popular
  music by the group Laiko Palko

Wednesday 10/2

• City of Athens Multi-purpose centre, 20:30 - Carnival songs by
  Dionysios Lavragas
  Athens Choir
• Sepolia Cultural Centre, 19:30 - Greek popular music by the
  group Drosia
• Evelpidon Cultural Centre (Kypseli), 19:00 - Art song and
  Greek popular music by the group Mnistires

Friday 12/2

• Panormou - 7th City
  District Hall, 19:00 - Art song and Greek popular music by Sophia Tseliou

Saturday
13/2

• Riankour Square, 11:30 - Music by the Youth
  and Sport Organisation Youth Philharmonic

Musical
Strolls with the City of Athens
Philharmonic

Voukourestiou St, Syntagma Square, Ermou St,
Mitropoleos St, Evagelistrias St, Agiou Markou St, Eolou St, Omonia Square,
Kotzia Square, Varvakios Market and Monastiraki.

Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera), February 15 

• FILOPAPPOU HILL, 10:00

  Traditional
  music and Greek dances featuring Lakis Halkias, Stella Konitopoulou and the
  Zisis Foundation Dance Troupe.

• AKADMIA PLATONOS, 11:00

  Traditional
  music by the group Aggelika Plasmeni and Greek dances by the Zisis Foundation
  Dance Troupe.

• KAPAPS (Trifyllias and Lampsa sts, Ambelokipi), 11:00

   Traditional
  and Greek popular music by the groups Anemou Ota and Kavouras.

• LAMBRAKI HILL (Pytheou St,
  Neos Kosmos), 11:00 

  Traditional and Greek popular
  music by the group Mnistires.