Ragoutsaria (Kastoria)
7 January 2026 — Trumpet, mask and dance – Trumpet, mask and dance – the winter carnival is in full swing!
Ragoutsaria is a winter carnival in Kastoria, a town in Greek Macedonia on the shore of Lake Kastoria. It runs from Epiphany to 8 January (6–8 January), and belongs to the wider family of winter masquerade customs of the Balkans. Participants dress in costumes and masks, and processions with brass bands, songs and dancing pass through the streets. Groups gather, move through the neighbourhoods and make a joyful noise, bringing the community together in the cold season. It is a folk custom with deep roots, coinciding with the Christian feast of Epiphany and the days that follow. There is a calendar connection too: it falls shortly after the winter solstice, when the days slowly begin to grow longer. Exact dates and programme details may change from year to year, so check local announcements.
Flying across the sky: An ethereal, bluish-silver figure made of luminous dots and fine lines, like a constellation, in a festive carnival mask and cap, hopping across the night sky while playing a trumpet; a few tiny star-note dots trail behind it
Sources
Positions in Astronativa are astronomically exact. The interpretation is for inspiration. · Glossary · Terms · Privacy · Thank you