Cyprus Mail
Environment

Carnival days are here

batukinio 2
Although the main parade of the Limassol carnival has been put on ice for yet another year there are plenty of events going on to get into the pre Easter spirit says Eleni Philippou

 

The time for fancy dress, dancing and hitting the town is finally here as the 2022 carnival is just around the corner. Although the big parade is not taking place again this year, Limassol will still be a hive of activity with municipal events, fiestas in bars and music venues, kid’s workshops and live performances taking place.

The fun starts this Wednesday with a live music performance at Mason Bar. The popular local band Macumba will bring its samba, rumba, Brazilian funk and post-modern jazz sounds to the Limassol bar for a carnival-themed gig. Band members Rodrigo Caceres, Rodos Panagiotou, George Morfitis and Elias Ioannou meet on stage at 9pm to present a colourful, lively musical set along with some special guests. Vocalist Vicky Anastasiou, saxophonist Charis Ioannou, trombone player Andreas Theocharous and percussionist George Koullas will join Macumba for the evening.

The following day will see even more events take place in Limassol and Nicosia. Tsiknopempti always brings with it plenty of fun and smoky meals as it is the day that launches the carnival period. Limassol Municipality will gather at Pattihio Theatre on February 24 at 6pm to hold the coronation of the 2022 Limassol Queen, an event which will be accompanied by various musical and dance ensembles – the Limassol Municipality Philharmonic Band, the Afro-Brazilian percussion band Batukinio and the Limassol Cheerleaders.

From then on and until Sunday March 6, the municipality has organised a series of events, exhibitions, performances and parties all around town. The full programme is on the municipality’s website and though events are free, interested parties have to book a ticket via www.tickethour.com.cy, Pattihio Theatre or ACS couriers.

From Thursday onwards the celebrations are in full swing. 7 Seas will host a Tsiknopempti retro party with DJs blasting retro hits from 10pm onwards. In Nicosia Kosmikon Kentro Antonakis is planning a Carnival Rembetiko Party for Thursday 24 with the local band Rembetiki Fa Trias together with the virtuoso violinist Kyriacos Gkouventas and singer Yiannis Niarchos.

Also happening in Nicosia is a different event – a Tsiknopempti walking tour! Tour guide Antigone Michail will lead a walk in English discussing what Tsiknopempti means and what Nicosia’s intangible cultural heritage of Easter traditions are. The 6pm walking tour has an element of fun included as participants are encouraged to bring a cup of tea or wine with them to drink throughout the event. The tour will set off from the Cultural Centre in old Nicosia at 6.30pm.

nostalgia parties
Photo: Sparky Films

Continuing the carnival events in the capital on Saturday is a morning children’s workshop at CVAR exploring Venetian masks. Children aged 6 to 9 will use their imagination to travel to St Mark’s square in Venice and make masks with rich decorations to celebrate the carnival like the Venetians.

Later in the evening the highly-anticipated carnival fiesta by Nostalgia Parties returns. Taking place at Skali Aglantzias, outside Scalino Café, DJs Marcos and WonderLU will play favourite carnival and dance tunes as will the band Time Surfers. The party begins at 6pm and will last until midnight. On February 28, in Limassol a 70s and more retro party will take place at the Carob Mill at 8pm as part of the Limassol municipality’s events, again featuring the Time Surfers band playing beloved disco songs from the 70s until today.

The following week again sees events kick off at Mason Bar with the Batukinio band appearing on Wednesday March 3 for a unique evening of samba-reggae, samba batucada and afro-Brazilian sounds. The street music band will be joined by four musicians and a Brazilian dancer.

Larnaca too will party with carnival sounds as Savino Live organises two party evenings. On Friday, March 4, the local seven-piece reggae and ska band Blackout will put on a carnival fiesta starting at 11pm and lasting until late. Then on March 5, Michalis Kontovourkis and his enigmatic seven-piece band will offer a night of musical thrills. A tightly-packed set of Kontovourkis’ original songs and Greek rock classics will be performed and after his live show, a carnival party with DJ George Nikolaou will follow until the early hours.

Finally, one more stand-out carnival fiesta will happen in Limassol. On March 5, Limassol Agora, after a week of festive events for old and young, will host Nostalgia Parties for another carnival-themed extravaganza with four DJs playing beloved carnival dance tunes with carnival face painting by make-up artists, wrapping up almost two weeks of carnival fun!

 

savino liveMacumba Carnival Edition

Well-known local band play Brazilian Latin jazz sounds. February 23. Mason bar, Limassol. 9pm. €10. Tel: 99-211280. Facebook event: Macumba-Carnival Edition

Coronation of the Limassol Queen

A Limassol Municipality event with live performances by the Limassol Municipality Philharmonic Band, Afro-Brazilian percussion band Batukinio and the Limassol Cheerleaders. February 24. Pattihio Theatre, Limassol. 6pm. Tel: 25-745919 

Carnival Rembetiko Party

Live music by local band Rembetiki Fa Trias, violinist Kyriacos Gkouventas and singer Yiannis Niarchos. February 24. Kosmikon Kentro Antonakis, Nicosia. 9pm. €10. Tel: 22-664697. Facebook event: Carnival Rembetiko Party

Retro Tsiknopempti Ater-Party

Party with retro hits. February 24. 7 Seas, Limassol. 10pm. Reservation-only. Tel: 25-278000. Facebook event: Retro Tsiknopempti Ater-Party

walking tourTsiknopempti Walking Tour

Tour guided by Antigone Michail. February 24. Meeting point: Phaneromenis 70, Nicosia. 6pm. €10 donation. In English. Reservations: [email protected]. Facebook event: Tsiknopempti Walking Tour

Nostalgia Aglantzia Carnival Party

Event by Nostalgia Parties, Aglantzia Municipality, STS Events and Scalino Café. February 26. Skali Algantzias, Nicosia. 6pm-12am. Facebook event: Nostalgia Aglantzia Carnival Party

Masks from Venice

Children’s workshop making Venetian masks. February 26. CVAR Severis Foundation, Nicosia. 10am-12pm. €5. Reservations: [email protected]. Tel: 22-300994. Facebook event: Masks from Venice

70s and More

Retro party with live performance by Time Surfers band. February 28. Carob Mill, Limassol. 8pm. Free. www.tickethour.com

Afro Brazilian Fiesta

Live performance by band Batukinio and four more musicians. March 3. Mason Bar, Limassol. 9pm. €10. Tel: 99-211280. Facebook event: Afro Brazilian Fiesta with Batukinio

Carnival at Savino Live

Party with local reggae band Blackout. March 4. Live performance by Michalis Kontovourkis and his band, followed by a carnival party. March 5. Doors open at 10pm, live music at 11pm. €10. Tel: 99-656367, 99-426011. Facebook events: Savino Live

Carnival Limassol Agora

Nostalgia Parties carnival edition with four DJs. March 5. Limassol Agora, Limassol. €10. 8pm-2am. www.soldoutticketbox.com. Tel: 97-632348. Facebook @LimassolAgora

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