The corona virus is also spoilsport for carnival friends this year – at least partially. The Grafinger carnival bears want to celebrate the start of the fifth season this Thursday at 11.11 a.m. and meet as in better times on the Grafinger market square for champagne and donuts. In the fresh air, at a distance and after consultation with the district office, this is considered possible, “that should fit,” says Felix Pollinger, President of the Carnival Bears. But the big party in the evening will be relocated to the Internet again – it seems too risky for everyone involved to celebrate the change of regent as planned in the Allegria.
In the past few months he was actually quite optimistic about the carnival this year, says Pollinger, but the current situation has let this optimism fly away: “We are totally shocked and surprised how the corona numbers have developed.” So you just have to drive on sight and see how the pandemic continues and whether you can risk celebrating the Bear Ball or the Nonsensical Thursday as before in the spring. Precisely because you also have a lot of little dancers who are young and not vaccinated, you have to weigh carefully. Other carnival clubs have already written off the season completely, they don’t want to do that yet. “We are already planning the events and have to wait and see,” says Pollinger. The band and the security company, who should actually have long been committed to the job, but are willing to plan a little longer with the uncertainty, also show great concession.
As in the previous year, the carnival bears prove their ingenuity and don’t lose their humor this year: They say goodbye to last season’s prince couple on Instagram, and the new triumvirate will also be presented here for the first time. Because the carnival season will definitely not be as lavish as the fools would like it to be, as the president promises, they have “come up with something special” for the new couple. “Grab your cell phones, laptops or tablets and celebrate with us”, this is the invitation from the carnival bears to everyone.