All about Zakynthos

The festivities of Apokreos (carnival) came to Zakynthos during the Venetian rule. The Carnival today lasts fifteen days set between the Sundays of Asotos or "Gourounokyriaki" (Sunday of the pig) of Apokreos and "Tyrini" (day of cheese, as cheese was allowed to be consumed during the fast). During the Carnival, the class-divided society of the time was breaking down all restrictions. Men and women, popolars and nobles all became equal and were entertained with the common ground, as Romas says, being opera, manchia and serenades. Wearing the barbuta (a kind of visor, veil, hood), the bauta (a kind of black cloak, long and silk with a cape and hood over the head, covering the tricato) and the morretta (mask), women and men, the "mascaras" and "detors", go out into the streets of the city, visiting friendly houses, entertaining in the fiestas or putting on plays on the way. These plays were called "omilies" (speeches). Of the open-air entertainments, the "Gaitani" and the "Gaidourokavala" (donkey riding) had a special place.The places of revelry for the nobles were the "Clubs", while for the people of the people the "Kavalkines or Kavarkines" and the "Vellionia". The Club "o Zakynthos", founded in 1839, was housed and was the Upper Casino, the Roman one, while the political club "Lombardos", founded in 1842, was housed and was the Lower Casino, the Lombardian one. Those who went to be entertained in the Casinos had to be registered and impeccably dressed, in a dark suit or tuxedo, bow tie and patent leather shoes. On Thursday of Apokreo was and is celebrated on "Tskiknopempti" (Thursday where grilled meat is consumed) . On this day children eat grilled meat ('tsiknisno') and are 'tsouknised' with "tsouknides" (nettles). On the Thursday of Tyrini there was a "green" dance, organised by the "Philodasiki" Society (friends of the forest), which always put a lamb in a raffle. The women wore large paper green flowers on their dominoes; there was no evening dance on the last Sunday. But it was free for people to enter the casinos. The people of the working class, were entertained in the so-called "Kavalkinas", i.e. in large halls suitably modified and decorated for carnival, with wonderful orchestras, buffets with drinks and tables with snacks.At 6 p.m. on the Sunday of Tyrini the big bell of the bell tower of Agion Panton was rung. In the evening, the Povero Carnival, i.e. the funeral of the Carnival, took place. Carnival is celebrated in a very special way even today.