The Carnival of the Animals and xylophone. From the beginning, Saint-Saëns regarded the work as a piece of fun. On 9 February 1886 he wrote to his publishers Durand in Paris that he was composing a work for the coming Shrove Tuesday, and confessing that he knew he should be working on his Third Symphony, but that this work was "such fun" (). He had apparently intended to write the work for his students at the École Niedermeyer, but it was first performed at a private concert given by the cellist Charles Lebouc on Shrove Tuesday, 9 March 1886. A second (private) performance was given
Patras Carnival municipality's carnival workshop creates special floats inspired by popular fairy tales. In the Ipsilon Alonion square a 'carnival town' is created. Giant and colourful carnival structures allow the children to play. Over 5000 children participate in a festival involving numerous game events and creative activities whose objective is to introduce the younger generation to the Carnival and to encourage their abilities in artistic expression related to aesthetic or satirical masquerading. The groups that participate in the carnival are composed of either permanent carnival companions, groups of friends, colleagues or neighbours. They have a name as a group and a theme