What’s on this weekend

Carnival weekend is here! Time to put on your most colourful costume and get ready to hit the streets to enjoy the parades, marching bands and carnival floats. This weekend calls for celebration.

The biggest happening will of course be the Sunday parade in Limassol, which will start at 1pm filling Makarios II Avenue with masquerade, and carnival aficionados. The Queen of the Carnival, the Limassol Municipality Brass Band, the Limassol Majorettes of the Cyprus Girl Guides Association, Serenaders, the Batukinio percussion band and the Limassol Majorettes will lead the parade, setting off from the Ayios Nikolaos roundabout heading towards the Polemidia Traffic Lights.

Behind them, over 100 carnival teams and floats will keep the dance party vibes of the parade going, entertaining visitors of all ages. For those still standing, a 9pm Farewell Carnival Fiesta will take place at the old port square with DJ Panicos Karpettas, concluding Limassol’s grand carnival celebrations for 2024.

Before then several street parties and performances will take place all around Limassol’s old town while other cities host their own carnival celebrations. Paphos will hold its carnival parade on Saturday, starting from Griva Digeni Avenue at 3.30pm and ending at Evagoras Pallikarides Avenue. Come Sunday Paralimni Municipality will also offer carnival music, song and dance with its own parade. Ayiou Georgiou Street will fill with bands, performers and carnival floats as the fun begins at 2pm. For an extra dose of carnival fever, several parties are happening this weekend with renowned DJs playing the very best uplifting carnival music from the local and international music scene.

If it is a break from the carnival shenanigans that you are after, cultural events will continue as normal this weekend – minus the confetti and the crowds. Rialto Theatre will host another live opera broadcast from The Met, this time presenting Verdi’s La Forza del Destino. The performance will be screened on Saturday night at 7pm with an incredible cast on the big screen.

Those in Nicosia can enjoy the Eleftheria 2024 concert on Saturday which will gather 2,000 participants on stage from Greece and Cyprus who will sing about refugees and the fight for freedom. The concert at Eleftheria Stadium will commence at 8.30pm and is suitable for all ages.

Also on this Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the capital city is THOC’s play The Good Person of Szechwan, adapting Bertolt Brecht’s well-known work into Greek so whether you are up for theatre, music or carnival fun, this weekend has it all!

Limassol Carnival

Big Sunday carnival parade with music bands, majorettes and floats. March 17. Makariou III Avenue, Limassol. 1pm

Paralimni Carnival

Carnival parade with music, dance and floats. March 17. Agiou Georgiou Street, Paralimni. 2pm

Paphos Carnival

Carnival parade. March 16. Griva Digeni Avenue, Paphos. 3.30pm

La Forza del Destino

The MET Live in HD. March 16. Rialto Theatre, Limassol. 7pm. €20. www.rialto.com.cy

Eleftheria 2024

Concert with 2000 participants from Greece and Cyprus. March 16. Eleftherias Stadium, Nicosia. 8.30pm. €15. www.soldoutticketbox.com

The Good Person of Szechwan

Play by Bertolt Brecht, directed by Costas Silvestros. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Cyprus Theatre Organisation Central Stage, Nicosia. Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 6pm. In Greek. www.thoc.org.cy