To forget a little about the daily struggles and to stop worrying for a bit the Greeks go full throttle ahead during the Carnival period which has officially started on the 5th of February. Parties are organized everywhere in hotels, restaurants, bars and private houses. Most parties are parties where you have to dress up. Some parties have a theme. On Thursday, Tsiknopempti, the whole island will party.
Last Sunday the folklore and cultural association had a wonderful presentation about what carnival on Skopelos is about. What we celebrate when we talk about Tsiknopempti, Trates and Kales.
On Skopelos some traditions are unique and they should be celebrated correctly. Lots of people young and old(er) were there for the presentation.
The association will also go into the high school to explain to the children about Trates and how this yearly feast should be celebrated. This Sunday the procession of the Trates will take place in the streets of Skopelos. In Glossa the trates are being driven around and end up on the square near the church.
(Trates 2016 photo Daphne Jaeggi Chliverou)
A week later oi Kales will dance through the streets. Take a look at the photo below.
Kales procession in front of the Agios Jannis/Tries Hierarches church, 1960. Photo was published by Katherina Betsanis.
Skopelosnews has written earlier about the traditions and explained in short what they are about; Tsiknopemti
Trates and
Kales
Both processions Trates and Kales in Skopelos will start in the beginning of the afternoon (around three o’ clock?) on both Sundays. If you are in town you will hear the “noise”
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