Oniroupolis (Dream City), Drama's great Christmas theme park, opened its gates for the 20th time on Saturday, December 2.
The annual celebration started in 2004 when Drama created the warmest, coziest, and fairytale Christmas village to provide a home for Santa Claus.
At the opening ceremony, Ivi Adamou took the stage and "announced" the start of the festivities.
Oniroupolis will remain open until January 7, offering magical moments to children and adults. Organisers promise surprises and magical recipes as the most "outrageous elves" fire up the engines to begin the 20th magical ride.
The concert of Ivi Adamou will, of course, be one of many musical events in this year's anniversary Oniroupolis. Other artists such as Yannis Vardis, Haris Varthakouris and others will follow.
Also, there will be many cultural events, some aimed at children and others not. Of course, there will be Santa's House, food stalls, a soap factory, a post office, carpentry, a traffic control house, an ice rink, a fun park and many other surprises.
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All actions and events will occur in Eleftherias Square of Drama, the city's central square. You can read the entire program of the event in detail here.
You can read more about everything you can see and do if you find yourself in the city of eastern Macedonia and the wider area here in the near future.
It is noted that today, December 4, Drama also celebrates its patron saint, as it is the feast of Saint Barbara. As every year, her celebration started on the eve, Sunday afternoon, with children, parents and groups visiting the springs of Saint Barbara to observe the custom. Holding paper and plastic boats in their hands, they cross the city, reaching the springs. In the verdant and unique natural beauty park where the old tobacco warehouse dominates, an impressive scene is set up with people as protagonists.
The sight is awe-inspiring, with the hundreds of colourful illuminated boats sailing in the waters of the lake and the "captains" around anxiously waiting when they will sink to "transfer" the wishes to the ruins of the sunken church of Agia Barbara.
According to popular tradition, when the Turks conquered Drama, the old church of Agia Barbara was demolished to build a mosque in its place. But the plans changed on the day of the celebration.
The area was flooded with water, so the mosque was never built. Since then, Saint Barbara became the patron saint of Drama, and directly opposite the lake, with the foundations of the old church in its bowels, the new church dedicated to Saint was built.
READ MORE: Christmas in Corfu is an experience in itself.