Parades

Rio de Janeiro would normally be kicking off its famed carnival now, but instead of booming drumlines, glittering floats and barely clad dancers, the Brazilian city's "Sambadrome" is hosting a COVID-19 vaccination drive this year.

Carnaval La Land, a special event featuring musical theater, flash mobs, Afro-Brazilian percussion, samba, tango and many more surprises, will be happening in Syntagma Square on Friday, February 28.

The Hellenic Children's Museum will be hosting a workshop on carnival masks for youngsters aged 3-12 and their families on Wednesday, February 26, in the context of a series of events organized by the City of Athens dedicated to Greek Carnival celebrations. Ribbons, buttons, feathers and a range of other decorations will be made available for the children to create their own personal mask.

A car that rammed into a carnival procession in central Germany on Feb. 24 injured 52 people, including 18 children, police said, adding that the perpetrator's motive remains unclear.

"Among the victims are 18 children [while]... at present 35 people are still undergoing treatment in the hospital and 17 were already able to leave," police in Hesse state posted on Twitter on Feb. 25.

The Athens Wind Orchestra will be performing a free open-air concert in Monastiraki Square in downtown Athens on Tuesday, February 25, in the context of the city's Carnival celebrations dedicated to youngsters. Starting at 1 p.m., the orchestra will be creating a festive mood with upbeat music for children and families.

The City of Athens Philharmonic Orchestra performs outside the Zappeion Megaron building in the National Gardens on Saturday as the capital kicks into Carnival gear. As of last week, Athens is hosting more 60 festive open-air events for everyone, young and old, around the city until March 2 when the Carnival season peaks on Clean Monday.

The Athens district of Mets is holding its fifth annual Carnival party and parade, organized by the Arditros cultural center and the area's elementary school PTA. The parade - marching to the tunes of the Batuca Latin music band and with support from the dancers of Arte Brasileira Atenas - will start on Harvouri Street at 11.30 a.m.

The carnival season in Brazil is in full swing, but besides the mood it also brings problems. 400 people were detained during the first weekend of the carnival in Sao Paulo. Many of them are minors.

Aside from the detentions, "45,017 vehicles were inspected, 24 weapons confiscated and 59.9 kilograms of drugs seized," a statement said.

Thousands of people, many dressed for a traditional masked ball, crowded into Saint Mark's Square on Feb. 16 to witness "the flight of the angel", the opening event of the annual Venice Carnival.    

The Vevcani carnival began on Monday in the village of Vevcani in the west of North Macedonia, with more traditional participants wearing masks depicting ghouls, goblins and devils, in accordance with the ancient belief that the noise and chaos they create will scare away evil spirits.