(photo by by Dara Wissinger Püt)

There are variations of Karneval across the globe aside from American Mardi Gras such as Carnival throughout the canals in Venice, Italy or Rio Carnival in Brazil with dancing on the beaches in the sunshine. What all have in common is their roots in hosting large celebrations prior to Christian Lent (fasting or giving up something from Ash Wednesday until Easter). Some areas begin their traditional Karneval seasons at different times but the party season leading up to Lent is always the same. For example, in Köln they officially kick off Karneval on November 11th at 11:11am. While in Munich Fasching begins on the Epiphany of January 6th. No matter where Karneval is the message is the same, to come together and celebrate!

There are a variety of Karneval clubs across the city. Each club has a mascot usually with a traditional story associated with it. They each organize Karneval parties during the season as well as events and philanthropy throughout the year. Anyone can join and participate in a club and there are many for specific backgrounds as well. There are LGBTQ+, Women’s, and religiously affiliated clubs. The overall goal of Karneval and every club is to emphasize peace and welcoming all to celebrate happily together.

The Rose Monday (the Monday before Ash Wednesday) has been operating in Köln since 1823. All Karneval clubs participate by having floats and throwing candy out to children as they pass. It is estimated that around 300 tons of sweets are tossed out into the crowd along the route. Specific Karneval dance performance teams participated as well. The full length of the parade is over 8 kilometers of distance rain or shine. If you are unable to attend a Karneval club party, then the Rose Monday parade is a must to see!

We live several hours away from Köln in Bavaria and our Karneval has a different name. Actually, many regions in Germany call it something different such as Fasching or Fastnacht. In Bavaria we call it Fasching, and our events are on a lively but quieter scale. We have many parades throughout our cities the weekend before Ash Wednesday as well and there are some smaller scale parties. I have been told the most popular as well as the most boisterous Karneval cities are Köln, Dusseldorf and Mainz. Arguably each city will claim to have the best celebrations over the other. I can only speak for Köln at this time, and I can tell you it is an event not to be missed.

(photo by by Dara Wissinger Püt)

What I was not expecting at the Karneval party was the large number of entertainments throughout the event. Several local comedians performed throughout the night through animated laughter. Unfortunately, my German is not strong enough to participate though, this portion was almost entirely in local Kölsch dialect so my school taught high German wouldn’t stand a chance. All the same, I enjoyed trying to understand what I could and see the pure joy of every single person around me – some people laughed so hard they were brought to tears.

Peppering the comedic performances were local Köln rock bands. Again, these were mostly in dialect but the energy of these performers and the reaction from the audience was insane! Every single person knew every single song. Not only did everyone sing along but they often all participated in the German ‘Schunkeln’. This is the traditional German musical sway where you link arms with your neighbor and sway back and forth to the music. In a sold-out arena of over 1,500 people, it was amazing to see and the energy was electric.

In between comedians and local rock bands there were several dance groups trained specifically for Karneval events in the traditional manner. The dance groups were by far the highlight of the evening with a mix of traditional dance and high-flying acrobatics. One team every single woman entered standing on the shoulders of their male partner waving and clapping as they walked through the arena and up to the stage. I was mesmerized and greatly worried about their safety. Thankfully no one was injured, and my jaw remained on the floor for all the performances due to the sheer athleticism of these performers.

(photo by by Dara Wissinger Püt)

Germany is most famously known for Oktoberfest and while it is an authentic experience Karneval is the heartbeat of German tradition and culture. It’s the tamer and more family friendly version of a German celebration with a feeling of comradery and joy. Experiencing Karneval with a local club and with my German family is something I know I am privileged to experience. If you are ever given the opportunity or choose to attend the public Rose Monday parade in Köln all I can advise is to go! This was an amazing opportunity to learn more about my husband’s culture and have such a fun time doing so.