The closing of the carnival celebrations for 2010 in Sitia was marked by the parade of the Carnival groups with plentiful dressed up people. Numerous locals and tourists attended the spectacle with an obvious satisfaction and pleasure and it seems that the Carnival celebration has become an institution and tradition for Sitia.
People of all ages mingled in the celebration and impressed everyone during the parade; the vast participation, the pulse, the upgraded dresses and costumes and the joyful atmosphere set the tone for fun.
The parade started at 4.30pm with the sounds of nicely selected music, which received good comments. The King of the Carnival was the leading vehicle, marking the beginning of the parade, which lasted for at least 2h, with 18 groups and almost a thousand dressed up participants who begun from the eastern side of Sitia beach and continued to the center of this small town in Eastern Crete.
The Carnival celebrations of Sitia ended on Ash Monday in the neighboring village Piskokefalo, where many people had fun flying the kite, tasting the traditional dishes and dancing with the sound of Cretan music.
The previous days, on February 13th, the game of the Hidden Treasure took place in the town, and in the evening there was a nightly parade for the first time; abundant dressed up participants added a touch of fun with their presence in downtown.