14 festivals on 10 islands, day by day. Movable feasts are computed for 2027.
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13–15 March
Among the most distinctive carnivals in Greece — the 'Yeros' figure dressed in goat skins and bells dances through the village. The peak is the last Apokries Saturday and Sunday plus Clean Monday, when the Geros dances in the square all day. Pre-Christian roots, deeply Skyrian.
14–16 March
Chios's famous carnival custom, listed in the national intangible-heritage register: on Carnival Sunday (the last Sunday before Clean Monday) Thymiana, just south of Chios town, re-enacts the villagers' victory over pirates with the 'talimi' sword dance and a procession of masked 'Mostres', now combined with a float parade. Run by the MEOTH association over the last carnival weekend, with thousands attending including visitors from Turkey. Go early, the village roads are closed.
14 March · Hydra Town / Kamini
On the last Sunday of Apokries the islanders parade in fancy dress from the harbour along the coast path to Kamini, with music, a giant papier-mâché head and horsemen (and donkeys, this being Hydra), ending at the tavernas of Kamini. Tsiknopempti before it means street barbecues on the port. Ferries from Piraeus run all winter, and rooms are at their cheapest.
14 March
Through the weekends of the Triodion and on Tsiknopempti, masked 'boules' in improvised costumes go from house to house; on the final carnival Sunday the village sets tables in a circle in the big square (the 'alani'), men and women at separate tables, with ouzo, mezedes, spinach pies and hours of carnival and folk songs. Winter ferries permitting, it is the most intimate carnival in the Aegean.
14 March
Crete's biggest carnival, running the whole Triodion with a treasure hunt, a night parade and a children's parade, and peaking on Cheese Sunday (the day before Clean Monday) with the grand parade along the waterfront: in 2026, 28 floats and about 11,000 participants, ending in fireworks. Hotels in the old town book out for that weekend; the parade starts mid-afternoon and the streets around the harbour close from midday.
14–15 March
Thasos's carnival is concentrated in the neighbouring villages of Panagia and Potamia on the last carnival weekend: satirical floats, plenty of food and wine, dancing and the burning of the carnival effigy, then kites and Lenten food on Clean Monday. Potamia also revives the 'Anavrochiaris' rain custom at the end of August (30-31 Aug 2026).
14 March
On the last Sunday of Carnival the big village of Falatados stages a themed parade with satirical floats, traditional instruments and a raki-fuelled street party, the largest carnival on Tinos. Nearby Agapi does the 'Makaronas' straw-effigy procession ending in a communal pasta meal, and Triantaros reads out satirical verses on Carnival Thursday.
15 March
The mastic village of Nenita in the south ends carnival with a traditional Clean Monday panigiri in the village square, organised by the 'Vokaria' cultural association with a live folk orchestra, Lenten food and dancing. Nenita also holds a summer panigiri for Agioi Anargyroi (1 July) and an early-August village feast.
15 March
On Clean Monday the village of Othos stages a mock 'court' with masqueraders (the mousoutades) trying and sentencing villagers for the year's misdeeds, followed by traditional dances. It is the best-known carnival custom on Karpathos, and the only reason many islanders come home in winter. Dress warmly; Othos is at 500 m.
15–17 March
The most literary carnival in the Aegean: the 'Satyros' carnival society of Agiasos writes satirical verse in the local dialect, performs it in the streets and runs masked parties, a children's masquerade and a 'patinada' with traditional musicians on Carnival Sunday, all culminating on Clean Monday with kites, free bean soup and rice pudding and the big satirical procession. Runs the last two weekends before Lent; the Monday is the day to be there.
15 March
The Rethymno carnival closes on Clean Monday in two villages just outside town: Gerani (west, on the coast road) and Armenoi (south, on the Spili road) stage the old Cretan Lenten customs, mock weddings and satirical skits, with lagana, olives, taramas and wine for everyone and lyra players in the square. Go around midday; both are 10–15 minutes from Rethymno.
24–25 March
The island capital's own feast, on Annunciation day: liturgy and procession at Evangelistria in Pigadia, then a town-wide glendi. Olympos marks the same day. A good reason to be on Karpathos out of season, and the ferries run.
25 March
The hamlet of Messaria keeps 25 March with a liturgy and kerasmata for the few dozen islanders who are around in spring, doubling as the national holiday. Only for those already on the island out of season.
25 March
Second great Marian feast at the Church of Panagia. Smaller than August but still significant — and this is when the icon was discovered in 1823.
Dates are resolved for 2027: fixed saint's days as they fall, movable feasts computed from Orthodox Easter (2027: 2 May). Panigiria are usually held on the eve of the saint's day, and a village occasionally shifts one to the nearest weekend — where an entry says "confirm locally", the date comes from recent years' announcements rather than an official calendar. If you know better, the feedback button exists for exactly this.
