Patras Carnival Parade
Complete guide on how to participate in the Patras Carnival Parade
The Parades of Patras Carnival
Participation in the parades of Patras Carnival is a highly sought-after activity for all lovers of Patras Carnival, as it creates an unforgettable experience of fun and uttermost joy.
Apart from the Children’s Parade that takes place a week before the celebrations come to a close, the core parades of Patras Carnival are two: the Night Parade (also called “Podarati”) and the the Grand Parade of Sunday morning. In these two parades, more than 150 carnival parade groups participate each year, totalling of more than 35.000 members.
According to the official Carnival rules, each parade group is not allowed to exceed 300 members. Nevertheless, there are groups that choose to parade with more than 2000 members in total.
The parades of Patras Carnival 2017 will take place in the weekend of 25th and 26th February 2017.
Parade Routes
The grand parades of Patras Carnival are the Grand Parade of Children’s Carnival, the Night Parade and the Grand Parade of Sunday morning. In the map below you can find each parade’s routes, as well as their start and end positions.
How to choose a parade group
Choosing a parade group is no easy task if you are not familiar with people involved and the procedures that take place. There are several different “styles” of groups that span some of the following: groups with mostly University students, groups with families, groups with very detailed costumes and few members and groups with more generic costumes and a lot of members.
When handling the practicalities of choosing a group and ordering the costume, the best solution is to know a parade member that lives in Patras. He/She will be able to suggest groups, as well as help with group registration and costume order.
Another way is to visit the Exhibition of Parade Group Costumes, that takes place every year one month before the core parades. In this exhibition, almost all parade groups present their costumes and provide contact information for anyone who is interested in joining the group. Note that some groups may have already reached their member quota and may not promote further participation.
Lastly, there is also the Online Exhibition of Parade Group Costumes. This exhibition takes place online for a few weeks before the core parades.
Our advice!
If you reside in Patras, we recommend choosing a parade group that also participates in the games of Treasure Hunt. You can inquire about it before registering your participation in the group. Through participation in the games of Treasure Hunt, you will have the opportunity to get to know your fellow parade group members a lot better and also experience unforgettable moments of laughter, intrigue and action.
