Rethymno Carnival

Often referred to as the “Carnival of Crete,” the Rethymno Carnival is one of the oldest and most renowned celebrations in the entire country. Its history goes back at least one hundred years, with the first balls and parades dating from as early as 1914! Over the course of time, it has kept evolving, while the creation of groups in the 1990s has given it fresh creative impetus. Lasting a whole month, it brings together thousands of participants and constitutes a pole of attraction for locals and visitors alike.

Festivities comprise the established treasure hunt, concerts, parties, balls, and beautiful serenades around the historical center of Rethymno Town. Plenty of fun activities for children are also invariably included in the program. The Carnival culminates with the main parade of carnivalists and floats along the most central avenue of the town, and with the burning of the Carnival King, a tradition that marks the start of Lent and the belief that he will rise from his ashes the following year to preside over the next Carnival.

Two quaint customs that revive on Clean Monday, the day after the main parade, also form an integral part of the Rethymno Carnival. The first one, the Camel, takes place in the village of Gerani and is actually a Dionysiac custom that stands for the unceasing cycle of life as people sow the land and the crops sprout. The residents of Gerani fashion a camel out of a wooden ladder, using two baskets to form its humps, as well as a long piece of cloth, rabbit skins, and a donkey’s skull. A reel is fastened on its palate too, so that its mouth can open and close at the pull of a rope. One person holds the head, which has been attached to a pole, while another two form the humps. Once everything is ready, the camel is paraded through the village streets, driven by a man disguised as an Arab. The camel driver gives it commands, trying to lead it where he wants; however, the animal is disobedient, contributing to the mirthful mood. The procession is accompanied by many of the locals, who have dressed up in makeshift costumes of sheep bells and hides, and the revelry goes on till nightfall, to the sound of Cretan tunes.

Held in the village of Armeni, the other custom is known as mountzouroma, and involves the smudging of all participants’ faces!