Korça opens summer tourist season with Carnival Festival

The summer tourist season opened today in Korça with the 17th edition of the International Carnival Festival. 28 Albanian troupes and 6 foreign troupes from Italy, Greece, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bulgaria participated with unique costumes, masks, music, and a lively atmosphere.

The event started at 11:00 with a festive atmosphere in all squares and streets of the city, where, according to ancient tradition, troupes wearing masks announced the beginning of the Carnivals. The Carnival Parade started at 18:30, with 400 costumes and masks parading on Republic Boulevard, the Cathedral square, the pedestrian area, and the Old Bazaar. From 20:00 until midnight, the whole city celebrated at the Carnival Party.

Referred to colloquially as Little Paris because of its architecture and cultural life, Korça has a rich history of carnival celebrations dating back to the 1940s. The tradition, interrupted during the communist dictatorship, was revived in 1994-1995 and since 2008, the event has been held annually, drawing both local and foreign tourists and reclaiming its place as the city’s symbolic festival. Alongside other cultural events, like the Beer Fest, the Carnival has helped Korça become one of the top all-year, tourist destinations in Albania.