With the carnival parades, the foolish season is slowly coming to an end next weekend. The organizers are expecting hundreds of thousands of spectators across Bavaria until Shrove Tuesday who want to watch the colorful hustle and bustle of the carnival clubs and eleven councils on the side of the road. From Ash Wednesday onwards it’s time to wait until November 11th, when the next session begins.
One of the largest parades is traditionally the Würzburg carnival procession on Sunday (February 11). According to platoon marshal Michael Zinnhobel, 130 groups with around 2,500 participants have registered. Last year, according to the police, at least 75,000 people watched the crazy goings-on in the city center; at peak times there were more than 100,000.
There are particularly many fools and fools in Nuremberg, Coburg, Bamberg and Bayreuth. On Sunday it will ring again in the Franconian metropolis “Nämberch Ahaaaaaa” from the floats of the carnival companies, which want to throw a large number of camels at the spectators. In addition to the Nuremberg carnival societies, around 50 other groups have registered for the annual carnival parade. According to the organizers, the parade was first mentioned in a document in 1397. On Rose Monday, the Franconian metropolis is all about children’s carnival. The Gaudiwurm is now taking place for the 44th time. The organizers promise loud noise and lots of fun. Fools from Nuremberg crèches, kindergartens, after-school care centers, leisure facilities, carnival and sports clubs as well as school classes and music schools will be on display.
In Bamberg The party will take place on Shrove Tuesday under the motto “Carnival in the Galaxy – Planet of Fantasy”. In Bayreuth The fools celebrate on the market square for four days – from February 10th to 13th. The highlight of the street carnival is supposed to be a parade on Sunday. On this day takes place in Coburg The Narrhalla Gaudiwurm also took place with around 50 groups and various chapels. In Franconia there is a particularly high level of foolishness across Bavaria.
In the south of Bavaria, parades with masks are more of a tradition, for example in Upper Bavaria. On “Nonsense Thursday” (February 8th), masked people with historical carved wooden masks – “Mashkera” – parade through places like: with bells and sometimes also with cowbells Mittenwald. According to old custom, they usher in spring and drive away the demons of the dark season. In addition to bell stirrers, many figures such as Goaslschnalzer, Jaklschutzer and Beserer can be seen.
On the same day there is in Dietfurt at the Altmühl the Chinese carnival – here too there are usually several thousand spectators. In Munich The market women want to dance at the Viktualienmarkt on Shrove Tuesday. The custom dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. The ladies from the fruit, vegetable, cheese and snack stands ensure a happy atmosphere with dance performances to well-known hits.