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Marina Nikolova

The Greeks are masters of having good time, of the good cuisine and hospitality and in the month of carnivals they are in the throes. But not this year, someone might think with mild sarcasm. The truth is that in cities where the organization of the colorful pageant, parties across the city and having good time are a matter of honor, hotels are still waiting for reservations, the budgets of municipalities for the carnval have been cut by 40% and applications for participation in the parades have decreased.

Vima newspaper began its article on the carnivals like this: "If the good artist turns pain into art, then the good carnivalist turns bad things associated with the crisis into... satirical costumes and innovative platform". Locals from Patras, where one of the most famous Carnival celebrations in Greece is held say that last year too until the last moment the hotels had no reservations, but in the weekend at the last day of the carnivals they reached 100% occupancy.

At the same time groups who dress the same way are being prepared. Usually they run about 150 to 300 people, but this year Yannis Dimou, who spoke for Vima said that his group was only thirty people. He decided that they would all dress up representing the subject "Let them eat spnge-cake" and he was inspired by the words of Minister Todoros Pangalos, who on the occasion of the missing state money, said "We ate it together".

"People are generally looking for cheap suits, but customers are few, they come into the store and look around, but very few of them buy. We should have been selling very well by now and had a turnover, but due to the crisis maybe people are more tight. I guess everyone thinks to himself that he will buy something at the last minute. If there is a party on Saturday, he will come on Saturday morning to get a suit. Now this month we work until ten o'clock on Saturdays. Great parties begin next week and continue until the week after the next one, when the celebration of carnivals takes place and there are parades in the streets", said George Bouzas - owner of the shop for carnival costumes My season.

The prices of the costumes in the store range between € 18 and go up to 150 euros for theatrical costumes, which are made of high quality fabrics and patterns. The most common wigs that are made from PVC start at 15 euros and wigs from natural hair, which can be made in different hairstyles and braids are priced at 35 euros. Georgeos says he wants to sell better-quality costumes made out of beautiful fabrics instead of polyester for 10 euros and adds that "Typically, women want to dress as Cleopatra, as pirates, and men take Obelix costumes, pirates on ghosts costumes.

"If it is for a union or group, we have the same theme of costumes for men and women in many numbers. For example, a man and a woman pirates, prisoners, Native Americans, Fred and Wilma Flintstone, and we can deliver them, if they call us a few days earlier.

We opened the shop in the middle of January and we are going to work until March 6, when is the carnival Sunday. Since the dates of the carnival change each year therefore the seasonal shops for carnival clothes open about a month and a half in advance. Last year we rented a shop in Piraeus and this year we decided to move in the center of Athens on the commercial street. In the first three years we started selling on the internet we have a site and because it was going well, decided to open a shop. It is for seasonal clothing and activities - we have Christmas decorations, carnival costumes and furniture for the garden for the summer. There is no difference in price whether you order something from the site or you come to pick it up from the shop. But for people who live in the countryside it is very convenient to buy this way. The only difference is that when a person orders on the internet he cannot try it on and see whether it suits him or not" says the owner of the carnival shop.

In order to attract guests and make them go to their town to celebrate the Carnival, Xanthi residents this year have decided to apply in the Guinness Book of Records. They will try to create the largest carnival mask in the world, which will be of the face of Karagiozis and its size will be 13.5 meters by 8.5 meters. The mask will be in blue and white to give a clear "response" to debate the origins of this character from the folk tradition. The mask will be represented at the central square on March 5.

Events:

In Thessaloniki

Carnival with bikes in Thessaloniki: 24 February at 19:00 at Hrimatistirio Square in Ladadika. There will be a big procession with the king and queen of the carnival, but also a platform on the subject "Ali Baba and the 40 thiefs". At the end of the procession there will be parties throughout the city, with DJs and the traditional burning of King Carnival.

In Athens

Today at Indigo Bar in the neighborhood Exarchia on No. 80Temistokleus Street there will be a crazy party. The only advice is to dress like pirates, because otherwise they will not let you in. The entrance is free and the party starts at 22:00 pm

For the fans of music and fashion of the '80 will be interesting the party at club Booze on Kolokotroni Street, on the 19^th of February, which will shake it after 22:00 o’clock.

The band Imam Baildi will serve their famous recipes on Sundays – 20^th of February at Club Κ44 (No. 44 Konstantinpoleos Blvd.) at a mask ball, at which electronic music meets traditional and folk song remixes.

On Saturday 26^th of February at 21:00 the Club of owners of scooters organizes a mask ball in Coffee Coffee Bar at Memos Square in the neighborhood Korydallos. The price of the entrance is 10 euros and includes a drink. The price per bottle - 60 Euro.