News - Greece: "Verka" in the largest European Carnival parade | Eurovision Song Contest News - 2009 Moscow, Russia 

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Written by

Stella Floras

Published

28/Feb at 16:55

Source(s)

eurovisionmania, esctoday.com

News

Verka Serduchka crew in the Patra's Carnival - © eurovisionmania
© eurovisionmania

Greek fans’ tribute to Eurovision

Greece: "Verka" in the largest European Carnival parade

The Carnival of Patras, Greece, is the oldest and largest one of its kind in the country and the whole of Europe. Every year, about 500.000 people flock to the Peloponese city to attend the festivities and watch the parade. This year, the Carnival will have a Eurovision flavour as there will be a Verka Serduchka crew parading the streets on 9th March.

The Patras Carnival is much more than a week of festivities for the locals. It is more like a way of life, an all year round occupation. The Carnival festivities last for several days peaking on the last Sunday of the Carnival with the grand – almost 3 kilometer long -parade with more than 50.000 participants. Many different themed groups and floats dance away in the main streets while music plays full blast throughout the city. This year, Eurovision fans are in for a surprise as among the numerous crews there will be one they will easily recognise. Verka Serduchka finds her way all the way from Ukraine to Greece as a group of fans pays tribute to the 2007 Eurovision runner-up.

We asked Yiorgos Papanikolaou, the captain of the Verka group, to tell us a bit more about their project this year : “ The idea was born when we saw Verka on stage in Helsinki. We thought “That should make a great theme for the carnival!”. And being from Patras we combined our two great loves, the Carnival and Eurovision.”

There are just a few vacancies in the Verka crew open to anyone who would like to join. Interested fans may email here for more information.


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Dutch Devil [45487]
Wed 5 Mar 2008 20:59:26

Oh just wait and see Hind... in 2 days :) url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2yU21TxjOw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2yU21TxjOw/url]


jim pap [45413]
Fri 29 Feb 2008 17:11:53

you are so jealous because patra has one of the most known carnivals in the world. go patra, po carnival, go verka. na fate ta lisaka sas


galantis loukakis [10706]
Fri 29 Feb 2008 14:40:56

Who knows Patra's Carnival except Greeks???? galantis.athens


Opinionated xxx [43641]
Fri 29 Feb 2008 12:28:44

@ Christos

You seem to be really updated on the worldwide carnival. What about the beautiful Venice Carnival, where there is definitely no women shaking their stuff and there are more carnivals that don't have naked women. Before you comment next time do some research.


* Jabushka * [30320]
Fri 29 Feb 2008 10:40:17

url=http://www.carnivalpatras.gr/index.php?section=776]http://www.carnivalpatras.gr/index.php?section=776/url]

Being a smarty pants I have posted this link to the Carnival's website ;)

Definitely not the oldest in Europe, in fact one of the youngest due to Greece being occupied before this. But it does have to be one of the grandest and most fun carnivals in Europe! The costume ideas are wicked and full of humour (hence the article). I wish I could go see all the Verkas on parade!


BURR [36045]
Fri 29 Feb 2008 04:28:08

That Irish Duck is missing


Fan since 1976 [31010]
Fri 29 Feb 2008 00:13:00

@Christos L
In German carnival there are also no "naked women shaking everything".
If you want to blame others you should inform you first.

(Such a fuss. I HATE carnival.)


Candyman ESC [14078]
Thu 28 Feb 2008 22:44:14

lol i prefer the fake verka... lol


Christos L [11029]
Thu 28 Feb 2008 21:34:05

Patra's first carnival was in 1829.

The difference between our carnival and the rest of the world is that we don't have naked women shaking everything wearing some cm of clothes around them, and we don't use 'stuff' to cheer us up.


Fan since 1976 [31010]
Thu 28 Feb 2008 21:22:28

You're right, Khalid GR.
Maybe esctoday.com should think about whether it's a good idea to let people comment on EVERY news on the web site or just some selected.


Khalid GR [24641]
Thu 28 Feb 2008 20:34:48

The argument on who has the biggest, oldest, most famous carnival has begun. So childish


SpiderMan [24027]
Thu 28 Feb 2008 20:12:13

WOW! FYROM can afford a carnival!


ProjectZero00 [45374]
Thu 28 Feb 2008 19:39:55

Why does everybody have 2 say "we r better at this,we did it before u did,blah blah blah.." u don't even know how old this carnival is! how do u suppose yours is better,older or whatever??


Bobby J [38025]
Thu 28 Feb 2008 19:35:45

Strumica's carnival in Macedonia is one of the oldest ;)


Mischa Conzen [24211]
Thu 28 Feb 2008 19:33:47

@ Stella Floras:

...maybe it's the biggest carnival in Greece, but you should do some research with the phrases: "carnival+cologne"! We are older, bigger and better, honey :)


chi chi larue [38506]
Thu 28 Feb 2008 19:29:40

oh this is fake.. i'd prefer "real" verka..


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