At the Kolymbari Carnival

It is Carnival time in the Nomos of Chania, with the Chania Carnival at Souda and the Kolymbari Carnival both taking place on Sunday 23rd February, and the Kissamos Carnival coming a week later on Sunday 2nd March. The first carnival ever to take place in the Municipality of Platanias, the Kolymbari event kicked off at 4.00 pm on Sunday afternoon in the centre of town.

Butterfly on stilts
The parade was led by an iridescent butterfly – on stilts.

The teams had assembled in the forecourt of the old Kolymbari Town Hall, from where it was a short trip down to the Blackout Café and the Avra Imperial Hotel where the parade started. Loudspeakers lined the route – as is usual with carnivals the volume was turned up to the maximum – and a pulsating salsa beat accompanied the floats and their teams as they proceeded down towards to the doctor’s surgery in the old Police Station, round past the War Memorial square and finished shortly before the gymnasium – a distance of some 500 metres.

The weather forecast had not promised an enjoyable afternoon, with temperatures around 10 degrees (real feel 8) and easterly winds, but in the event, although it was cloudy, there was little or no wind and the dancing teams generated enough heat and light to keep themselves and the spectators warm. Quite a few of the latter had entered into the spirit of the occasion with masks, face paint and some costumes, while cans of spray foam were on sale and were made liberal use of.

The Carnival had clearly tapped a pent-up demand, with no less than 18 cultural associations fielding teams, mostly from within the Municipality but also from as far afield as Vamvakopoulo and Palaiochora.

Among those closest to home were:
Kolymbari: Another Zulu Glass!
Ravdoucha: Hot Dog Beerocracy
Marathokefala: Wild Fennel-Head Cowboys
Platanias: Say Hello to Platanos
Maleme: Mother, I’m going out
Spilia: Even Ancient Spilians are Lovely!
Gerani: Habibi, come to Gerani
Afrata: A Bee? A Bumblebee? Or maybe a little flower?
Vouves: Champion Drunkards – the Tipplers of Ancient Vouves
Vlacheronitissa: Cops and Robbers

We take no responsibility for the accuracy of the translations, many of the team names being based on punning allusions which might escape the non-native Greek speaker. A 10-minute video showing clips of most of the teams has been posted by Haniotika Nea at: https://www.haniotika-nea.gr/fotoreportaz-kai-vinteo-apo-to-1o-karnavali-syllogon-sto-kolympari/

Ancient Spilians

Theatre group
“Theatre group” from the Kapsomenos Foundation, Alikianos.
On deaf ears
The team from Koufos near Alikianos had as their message “Stou koufou tin porta” – a Greek idiom meaning “on deaf ears”.
Cops and robbers
“Cops and robbers” from Vlacheronitissa.
Spectators in costume
Many spectators had entered into the carnival spirit.
Creta vodka portokali
“Cretan vodka portokali” from Skines were dispensing cups of orange juice laced with raki as they passed.

Sheikhs of Gerani

Eggs and mothers
Eggs and mothers were combined in the theme of the team from Maleme – “Mana thavgo”. (See next post)
Afrata bees
Afrata is the venue for the annual Honey Festival in August, and the team followed this through in their theme: “A Bee? A Bumblebee? A little flower?”