Paphos People

AFTER what can only be described as dismal attempts at Christmas and New Year’s celebrations it seems as though Paphos Municipality is pulling out all the stops this year with its Carnival decorations, events and festivities.

The most exciting of these promises to be a set of performances by Prague’s famous Black Light Theatre, who will be staging a performance of Faust.

The show is based on the classic Goethe work and combines dance, dramatic music and visual effects but the whole point and magical element of the performance is the fact that it uses visual trickery, with ‘invisible’ actors, dressed in black, recounting the story visually.

The Paphos Municipality, together with main sponsor Skoda Auto as well as its other sponsors, has allowed for free entrance for both venues.

The first venue will be Wednesday March 5 at the Ayios Athanasios Municipal Theatre with three shows (8.30am & 11.30am for children and then again at 7.30pm for everyone). The second showing will be on Friday March 7 at the Markeidion Municipal Theatre, Paphos, again with three showings at the same times.

Dramatic entrance

The actual Paphos Carnival festivities began yesterday, with the dramatic entrance of the King of the Carnival, which saw a procession along Grivas Dighenis Street, Kennedy Square, Gladstone and Nikodemou Mylona Streets.

To celebrate the entrance of the King and to get the party started, everyone enjoyed a carnival feast that was held in the Pervola parking area with music, dance and food and drink, ending with an impressive fireworks display.

A treasure hunt will take place at the Demetrion Primary School tomorrow at 10am, while Sunday sees an opportunity for high school kids to take part in their own fun and games, again with prizes, at the Town Hall, again at 10am.

At 3pm on Sunday, the Elysium Hotel, which is one of the Carnival’s sponsors, will be hosting a fancy dress children’s party (έ10 entrance). The hotel will also be hosting a grand Carnival dance next Friday at 8.30pm.

Best costume

The έ35 entrance fee includes food, music, dance and a best costume contest. The actual grand Carnival parade is set to take place on Saturday, March 8 at 3.30pm along Grivas Dighenis Avenue, ending with a fantastic Carnival Fiesta at the Town Hall at 5pm, with entertainment provided by exciting Cypriot singer Constantinos Christoforou.

And because Carnival marks the time just before Lent, the following day sees a special Green Monday celebration at the Faros Beach with traditional dances and food as well as games and a kite contest.

Other events included in this year’s Carnival celebrations include parties at different bars and clubs, including a Brazilian dancing show at Club Level on March 9. For more information on this year’s Paphos Carnival celebrations, call 26 932014, 26 822270 or 8000 8181.

This year’s Carnival is sponsored by KFC, and is supported by KEO, Alma Signs, the Elysium Hotel, Cyprus Airways and CyBC.