Boubousaria
Every year on the eve and day of Epiphany (5–6 January), Siatista transforms into a lively, colourful stage: residents put on disguises, take to the streets, and celebrate until dawn in the renowned Boubousaria. Groups wearing traditional and satirical costumes, knitted face veils, and accompanied by brass instruments parade through the neighbourhoods of Chora and Geraneia, dancing and playfully satirising people and events of the past year. With Dionysian roots linked to joy, masquerade, and liberation, the custom today stands as one of the most vibrant celebrations of the Twelve Days of Christmas, a winter carnival filled with energy, music, and unmistakable Siatistan temperament. Beyond Siatista, the tradition is also revived in Galatini on New Year’s Day and in Eratyra on the second day of the year, where masked residents dance through the streets to welcome the new year and ward off evil.
