In order to mark the opening of tourist season, Korca, the essence of Albanian culture and traditions, will again put on its festive clothes, preparing for one of its cherished festivals- Korca’s Carnival, taking place here on June 2nd 2012.
Feature Image, www.visit-korca.com
The beautiful city lies in the region with the same name, in South Eastern Albania, somewhere between Greece and Macedonia, enfolding an amazing assortment of culture and heritage. Korca is well known for its colored carnivals, the traditional serenades and delicious food, as well as for its own beer factory – Birra Korça.
A colored series of carnivals are taking place here every year including: Pie Fest (July), a very popular event in town, inspired by Korca’s traditional pie – the Lakror; Beer Fest, taking place in August; Korca’s Carnival on June 2nd, The International Sympozium; The Carnaval before Easter and many other fairs, which give the city a special identity and particular value.
Organized by the city of Korca together with several artistic and cultural institutions, the Carnival is meant to revive the city’s long-lasting customs, to cultivate new values and to preserve the old ones. The event, all dressed-up in music, color and folklore, will return this year to enliven Korca’s old cobblestone streets.
Feature Image, www.visit-korca.com
Musicians, actors, traditional dancers, clowns, acrobats and people wearing masks, along with fairy-tale characters and young soldiers, will fill the center of Korca creating an amazing atmosphere of joy and celebration.
Karnevalet e Korçës is more than just vibrant parades and exciting music rhythms, it’s actually a city’s ingenious method to carry on its traditions and culture, and a beautiful process of reinventing itself, after a communist era which banned most of its attempts of expression and evolution.
The Carnival attracts thousands of visitors each year, becoming both a local pride, as well as an interesting opportunity for foreign tourists to deepen and enjoy the distinguished Albanian culture. Gathering together a wide selection of foreign and local participants, both young as well as experienced performers, the festival is sustained by the Carnival Association and by president Dhurata Lila, member of the European Carnival Convention.
In order to stimulate participants’ performances, the Executive Council in charge with the festival’s organization will offer two awards, one for the best contributor group and the other for the best individual performance.
Standing on a plateau fenced by the spectacular Morova Mountains, the historic city of Korca, also known as “The city of events”, together with the surrounding villages, represents one of the most beautiful, pristine and serene areas in Albania, a stroll back to the nation’s ancient times.
Feature Image, Wikipedia
Being the major city in the region and the sixth largest one in Albania, Korca can be easily reached from Tirana (180km), Durres (200km) and Ohrid (70km) by train, bus or taxi. Besides the vibrant festivals, which made it famous, Korca still boasts a rich variety of attractions to visit. Among the most important are: the historic town center, National Museum of Medieval Art, National Museum of Archeology, Bratko Museum (also known as the Oriental Museum), Korca’s Cathedral, the lively Korca Bazaar, as well as an impressive collection of byzantine churches and monasteries showing the Albanian strong religious side but also their tolerance regarding all the existing beliefs.