This year’s Athenian Carnival begins... 17/2/2005 During the past two years, the City of Athens has established the custom of organizing cultural events around the City on the occasion of the Carnival. “Dancing around the Maypole in Athens” of 2003 and last year’s “Athenian Carnival” created an atmosphere of joy and entertainment all around the city and did not let the citizens and the visitors of the city who chose to stay in Athens for the carnival period regret their choice. This year, just like the previous two, the City of Athens takes a strike on the everyday routine during the carnival period and it is prepared to convey the spirit of joy to all. In a Press Conference on Thursday noon Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyannis announced the festive events program for this year’s “Athenian Carnival”. “Athenian Carnival 2005”, organized by the City of Athens, includes a variety of events: Music, dancings, theater, parties, happenings, they all have a place in the program of festive events, which begin on Thursday 3 March and end on Monday 14 March (Ash Monday). The program’s figures are impressive: 31 artists and their groups will present musical, theatrical, dancing and acrobatics performances. In 9 of the city’s squares, in the center as well as in the city’s neighborhoods, in Thission, in Zappeion, at the Technopolis, in Varvakios Market, but also in carriages, in trucks, in pedestrian walkways, happenings and performances will take place. Ash Monday – for the first time – will be celebrated traditionally in three Athens Hills (Philopappou, Strefi and Skouze). The well-known cartoonist Kyr sketches this year’s program and popular artists such as Kostas Voutsas, Domna Samiou and many more raise the spirits in the great celebration. At the same time, a circus with clowns, stilt walkers, acrobats and DJs is expecting young Athenians during the two Sundays of the Carnival. The “Athenian Carnival” is here and it invites all of us to enjoy this carnival period in Athens. Author : City of Athens