Colors of Rethymno - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Each year the city of Rethymno turns into a heart of a bright carnival. The celebration of the carnival falls within the first part of February and lasts till the end of the month. The main feature of the carnival is its original interactive entertaining program. The festival features various exhibitions, concerts, dramatic performances and captivating games being a great fun as for kids so for adults. An established place of holding various exhibitions is the EOMMEX center, every day it offers an interesting entertainment program to its visitors.

The climax of the event is a parade running through the main streets of the city. Thousands of people put on bright festive costumes and take a part in this engaging celebrating procession. Gigantic models of fairytale creatures and popular heroes are constructed specially for the procession attracting lots of people who enjoys this fantastic slow motion along the streets.

The festival features special entertainment programs for the youngest participants of the festival as well exciting events for adults with the graffiti tournament being one of them. Street artists exhibit their amazing works of pictorial are right in the streets. Romantic dreamers will appreciate dancing out in the open; local cuisine admirers will have a great opportunity to try all the local specialities cooked in various ways. Tsiknopemti (pancake day) is the most exciting event of the carnival, usually it is held in a historical center of Retymnon. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Early In the morning local open-air shops start working, and a sweet aroma of hot cooked pancakes fill the air. Lots of people explore the streets during the festival till late at night. Street actors organize various performances near the most visited pancake shops. Another remarkable feature of the festival is a scale dancing show with all the participants and visitors of the holiday engaged. The best dancers and dancing teams of the island are engaged in the event performing their best skills in the art of dancing. This fantastic night dance show goes on right in the open-air like all other events of the festival. The program of the carnival includes captivating sport events as well. The festival offers a vast choice of entertainments meeting each taste and fancy so nobody will be bored. The carnival was first organized in 1960, since that time the festival program has turned much expanded. The carnival is known in many countries and attracts many tourists from all over the world.