Staged from February 18 to 21, the Carnival celebrations in the country’s biggest northern city brought mask and costume parades, singing and dancing performances to be concluded with a gala night in the local Migjeni theatre
TIRANA, Feb. 22 – “100 years of independence, 100 hours of Carnival.” This was the motto of this year’s Carnival celebrations in the northern Albanian city of Shkodra where thousands of local and regional citizens enjoyed a miscellaneous program of street events in snowy weather. Staged from February 18 to 21, the Carnival celebrations in the country’s biggest northern city brought mask and costume parades, singing and dancing performances to be concluded with a gala night in the local Migjeni theatre. The event was supported by Shkodra municipality and the local mask manufacturer which provided parade artists with miscellaneous masks ranging from Venetian ones to children’s favourite heroes.
Participating in celebrations on the Carnival’s second day, Parliament Speaker Jozefina Topalli who has been an MP elected from Shkodra constituency for the past 15 years congratulated organizers for keeping on the tradition despite the unfavourable weather conditions.”
“This is the flag year. We are at the gates of Europe, with the passport of free movement. It is the most beautiful thing artists could organize,” said Topalli.
Initially celebrated in 1860, the Carnival festival in Shkodra was banned for 45-year period during the country’s communist regime to resume only after the early 90s when democracy was restored.
Shkodra holds several successful annual festivals that have brought in tourists and visitors from across Albania, including the Carnival Festival, the Artisans Fair, Flower Day, and the City Music Festival.
