Patra dons its festive clothes and welcomes the carnival of 2026, as the time for the joy of life, fun, merriment, creativity, subversion, satire, and inspiration has arrived. At 9:00 pm, the official opening ceremony will take place in George Square, but the events will begin this morning with the traditional ceremony of the carnival lavaros delivery.

This year, the banner will come from the pier of Agios Nikolaos, by sea, at 12 noon, accompanied by the sports sailing clubs of Patras. The banner will be given by the member of the Board of Directors of the Public Benefit Enterprise of the Municipality of Patras – Carnival of Patras, Dimitris Demisianos, to the telltale of the Patras Carnival, Maria Agouridis, and accompanied by the afrolatin percussion of the 20-member group “Ritmo Loco Street Band” from the music workshop “Rhythmotopo”, members of the Carnival of Patras committee and a group of volunteers will arrive at the Three Allies Square.

There, all the groups of the children, volunteers, carnivalists, the municipal music, the queen of the Patras carnival, the mascot of the carnival of the children, “Tzitzikas”, and the musical float will be gathered. After a short performance between the télalis and the children of the KDAPMEA on the Three Allies Square, the march to the town hall will begin. The procession will be greeted by the municipal music and a percussion group, while the telallista of the Patriotic Carnival and the children of the KDAPMEA will hand over the banner to the mayor, Kostas Peletidis.

The chocolate makers, keeping the custom, will offer chocolates to the young children and immediately afterwards, a big party will start in the courtyard of the town hall. The banner of the Patras Carnival 2026 will remain hanging at the town hall until the end of the events on February 22, marking the great celebration of Patras.

After the completion of the laver delivery, a second party will follow at George Square, where it is expected to create the necessary carnival atmosphere in the city centre. At 9:00 in the evening, the official opening ceremony will start in George Square, which will have the theme “Get out of the screen” and is based, according to the Public Benefit Enterprise of the Municipality of Patras – Carnival of Patras, on collectivity, live experience, and natural human presence. According to the KEDIP, “the Patras Carnival is not an event that is just watched, but a celebration where there is active participation by everyone, while the theme ‘talks’ with the modern era, without demonizing technology, highlighting the need for human contact, companionship and shared experience, which are at the core of the institution.”

The opening ceremony performance will be developed in three distinct parts:

The introduction and awakening of the audience through narrative and musical elements.

The highlighting of the collective participation of the city, groups, and institutions.

The climax has a strong celebratory and participatory character.

The aim of the opening ceremony, according to the KEDIP, “is to present the overall image of the Patriotic Carnival, people, ages and expressions, where the ordinary citizen is an integral part of the celebration”.

The ceremony will include artistic elements and participations, such as live music with a band on stage, musicians, choirs, and orchestras of the city, theatrical and narrative elements with a télali and clowns, acrobats and performers with a kinesthetic role, etc.

According to the president of KEDIP, Pavlos Skouras, “the opening ceremony is a unique project involving 300 people and the participation of musical ensembles, choirs, orchestras, acrobats, actors, mirroring in the best way the creative flame of our city and the local artistic potential.”

Afterwards, the traditional custom of the chocolate war will be observed, with the throwing of the chocolate throwers sweetening the crowd, followed by a party in George Square.