On Skopelos carnival is very vivid and colourful
and the celebrations are a big joyful event. Its main characteristic is
the distinctive local colour and the people's intention to keep the
tradition alive. The spirit of the Skopelos Carnival like most of
festivities throughout Greece, can be traced back in antiquity. The
celebrations usually begin on Tsiknopempti (Thursday) and last for 12
days. On Tsiknopempti, groups of people old and young, dressed in funny
dresses or carnival costumes hang around the village teasing other
people, visit the island houses and end up in taverns until dawn. During
the whole carnival period, there is a spirit of joy, with lots of
dances, food and drinking, parties, parades, people in fancy carnival
costumes etc.
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