Limassol Carnival is all about basking in raucous fun and all around merriment before Lent crawls around the corner bringing with it a period of onerous fasting. This carnival has been occurring for hundreds of years. Food and gaiety are the main components of this festival. The first week of the festival is Meat Week one day in the week designated as – Stinky Thursday. This signals a week of you guessed it meat eating – with Lent around the corner Limmassol residents aim to get their full. The smell of roasting is known to perform the streets on Thursday hence the name. That week the King of Carnival ushers in the parade. Bands and serenaders follow behind entertaining admiring crowds. The serenaders are quite popular enchanting almost anyone with their songs of charm. The second week is called Cheese Week. Generously local delis hand out samples of any variation of the cheesy treat. A parade procession also accompanies the cheese eating festivities. The irresistible serenaders return, floats charge through the streets, and dancers and bystander show up in costumes. Limmassol Carnival is notably a satirical festival many of the costumes hold some humorous undertones or overtones.
