Dill, spinach, rice and the carnival Begins! We are one day away from the Opening Day of the 2024 Patrine Carnival and events are planned from morning to night.

Patrino Carnival 2024 officially opens welcoming its countless warm friends on Saturday, January 20 with a rich program of events that will unfold in the streets of Patras throughout the day until late at night.

The first big date of the carnival period will be given at 21.00 at George I Square, the square of our Carnival, where the Opening Ceremony of the Patrinos Carnival 2024 will be held.

At the official opening and as part of the ritual, the Mayor of Patreon, Kostas Peletidis, will declare the opening of the Patreon Carnival 2024, which will continue until Sunday, March 17, offering strong emotions and unforgettable experiences to his countless friends.

But for the entire Opening Day, KEDIP-Patras Carnival has prepared an exuberant program of events inviting people to descend on the center of Patras and giving them many occasions for genuine carnival fun.

The central motto of this open invitation is nothing else than this year’s theme of the Patronus Carnival:

“No matter if they “grind” us?

Our dreams continue to lift us up.

Be Unplugged! Well”

The morning activities that will unfold include carnival processions with a frenzy to the rhythm of percussion, acrobatics-juggling, music, dances and plenty of mood for carnival wishes since the centerpiece will be the tradition of the carnival banner at Patras City Hall

Morning activities and delivery of the carnival banner at the Town Hall

From the morningIn the city center, citizens will have the opportunity to watch separate actions:

11:00 Arrival of the Musical float at the Three Allies Square.

11:00 Departure of Ritmo Loco Street Band accompanied by the Jury from Miaouli Street at its junction with Riga Feraiu Street. The route to be followed is: Miaouli, Riga Feraio, Agios Nikolaos – arrival at 11:30 at Trion Symmacho square.

11:00 Gathering of all the participants of the Carnival Lavaro Ceremony at the Three Allies Square

11:30 Procession departure from Trios Samachon Square. The route to be followed is: going up to Agios Nikolaos, Maizonos, Lower part of Georgiou Square – Maizonos – arrival at the Town Hall.

The percussion group Ritmo Loco Street Band leads the way, disturbing with their percussion, followed by X-Saltibagos, the President of KEDIP-Patra Carnival Ira Kouri and the members of the Board, the Queen of the Patron Carnival Georgia Sakka, members of the Gnomodotiki and Jury, Volunteers, the auctioneer Maria Agouridis with the Musical Chariot and the rest of the participants and carnival workers.

12.00 The procession will be welcomed at the door of the Town Hall by the Mayor of Patreon who, under the carnival hymns of the Municipal Music, will receive the carnival banner from the president of KEDIP-Carnival of Patras. The event will be sealed by the custom of the chocolate war by the Mayor, the President of KEDIP and the representatives of the associations of chocolate lovers from the balcony of the City Hall.

The banner of the Patronos Carnival 2024 will remain posted at the Town Hall until the end of the events (March 17) marking the great celebration of the carnival capital.

After the handover of the carnival flag, the Ritmo Loco Street Band and the X-Saltibagos will bring fun, rhythm, joy and carnival colors to the main streets of Patras following the route: Maizonos, Pantanassis, Riga Feraiou, Gerokostopoulou – arriving at the Square Georgiou. There they will join the crowd dancing to Afro-Latin rhythms to the sound of percussion.

The afternoon and evening activities

For a moment the center of Patras will not remain carnival silent since from early afternoon, at 18.30 in Georgiou square DJ’S music (party) invites us to tune in to the selections of the well-known djs Takis Angelopoulos and Panagiotis Mouzakis who will raise the carnival decibels. With them, the presenters Vasso Kalokairinou and Alexandros Bistas (amateur actors) will interact with the audience.

20.00 The renowned theater troupe (Theatro Dromou Helix) with the Baroque Parade will depart from the Town Hall following the route: Maizonos, Votsi, Riga Feraiou, Ermou, Maizonos – arriving at the bottom of Georgiou Square. The Baroque Parade is an action in the form of a night parade, particularly impressive, communicative and in keeping with the spirit of the carnival celebration. Ten actors and three percussionists participate. High stilts with suspensions, huge skirts and impressive costumes of different colors, acrobats, fire jugglers, and Harlequins make up a magical, dreamlike image, spreading joy and laughter to young and old. This is another great spectacle similar to last year’s performance by the Helix troupe in the float parade on the last Friday of last year’s Carnival.

The time of the official opening of the Patreon Carnival 2024 will be at 21.00 in Georgiou A’ square and the Mayor of Patreon, Kostas Peletidis, with the President of KEDIP next to him, will announce the opening. The established chocolate sprinkles of the chocolatiers’ associations will leave the necessary sweet touch.