Clean Monday around Greece

At the same time, as part of the day's events at the Thermi Dam, the largest wheeled pot with a diameter of three meters and a capacity of 700 liters will be presented and used for the first time to prepare the beans.

Celebrations and customs throughout Greece
The tone of the day will of course be set by floats, kites, Lenten dishes and folk traditional and rebetika outdoor feasts and customs at the events of the municipalities, while carnival parades will take place in Assiro in Thessaloniki and Simantra in Halkidiki.

The Janissaries in Naoussa take put on the "face".
Without the "face", that special mask that characterizes the unique event "Jenissaries and Boules", the groups of disguised people with fustanelles and women's uniforms will mov around today in the streets and neighborhoods of Naoussa.

The activities, in a more relaxed and lighter version, will take place again with dancing and music from bells and drums, food and drink outside the houses, small parties in the streets and alleys of the city.

The Janissaries of Larissa
In this way, the curtain falls on the carnival events that in the region have a strong traditional color as the custom dates back to the 18th century and its roots can be traced back to Dionysian beginnings of ancient Greece.

The parade of Bell-ringers in Sohos and the custom of forgiveness
Of particular importance is the event "Koudunophoroi", in Sohos, Thessaloniki prefecture, which constitutes the intangible cultural heritage of the region. Dressed in costumes made from animal skins and girded with bells, the bell ringers dance and sing from 11am to 1pm enthralling local residents and visitors.

This will be followed by the distribution of beans and Lenten dishes and from 2:30 in the afternoon the "Prostavani" begins, as the locals call the custom of forgiveness with the distribution of oranges and handshakes to the elders. Also, in Assiros in the municipality of Lagada, at 12:30 noon on Clean Monday, the carnival parade will begin organized by the Assiros Cultural Association, while a feast with Lenten food will follow.

Carnival parade in Halkidiki as well
For Clean Monday, the big carnival parade, with topics taken from current affairs, is planned in the municipality of Nea Propontida in Halkidiki. In the parade that will start at 2 in the afternoon in the central square of Simantra, groups, associations, agencies and schools of the region will participate, while a large number of visitors are expected.

"Giant" pot on wheels will ake bean soup
At the Thermi Dam, the kite flying will be accompanied by plenty of traditional food and music, however the biggest vat with a diameter of three meters and a capacity of 700 liters is expected to "steal" the impressions.

As part of the events at the Dam, the gigantic pot that will boil the traditional bean soup will be presented and used for the needs of the Clean Monday event for the first time, which will then be offered to the spectators. At the same time, in the Vasilika of the municipality of Thermi, they will culminate on Clean Monday with the traditional wedding and the big carnival parade, with dozens of floats and the burning of the carnival.

Kites, wagtails and falcons take center stage
The municipalities in Northern Greece are preparing to celebrate Koulouma with the distribution of free kites, laganas, fasolades, Lenten dishes, with music and dance. In particular, four outdoor celebrations will be held in the municipality of Thessaloniki. The focus for another year will be the forest of Sheikh Su, where hundreds of visitors traditionally gather every year. The ancestral custom of kite flying will take place from 10 am to 3 pm accompanied by dance groups and traditional dishes. Similar events are organized in the Theater of the Toumba Cultural Center, in the Nea Elvetia Grove and in Triandria, in the courtyard of the former 1st Primary School.