Fasching, as it’s known in Bavaria, is crazy and a fun time to be in Germany. Fasching is also known as Karneval or Fastnacht in other parts of Germany. It officially kicked off the Karneval season Nov. 11 at 11:11 a.m. with pre-Lenten festivities.

 

During Germany’s carnival season, people wear masks and attempt to drive away winter’s evil spirits and bitter weather. The celebrations — some of Germany’s most colorful — closely resemble Mardi Gras festivities in the United States.

 

The northern region of Germany, particularly the Rhineland area, is the hub for German’s carnival season, with local parties and parades spring up all over the country until the season closes the night before Ash Wednesday.

 

Some Fasching parties to expect:

 

Faschingparade

 

Fasching parades pop up all over Germany during Karneval season. In smaller cities, these parades are casual, with small groups dressing up in a special, often political, themes. It’s a great time to roast politicians and other major public figures. In most situations, the whole city and neighboring villages take to the streets and celebrate Fasching together.

 

In bigger cities in the Rhineland, such as Cologne, professional carnival groups work all year long for this particular day. Thousands of people flood the streets of these events and they are broadcast live on TV.

 

Faschingsparty or Faschingsball

 

Fashingsparties or balls are more traditional parties. Usually, the events have special themes like the “Wild West,” “Science-Fiction” or the “60’s.”

 

Schwarzweiss Ball

 

This is a formal ball. Dress up in your finest suit or wear a black or white cocktail dress.

 

Lumpenball

 

Literally translated as rag-ball, Lumpenballs are attended by people in their shabbiest clothes.

 

Sportlerball

 

Sportlerball are Fasching balls organized by a local sport club.

 

Skihaserlball

 

Skihaserlball is a Fasching party held by the local ski club. If there’s no other party theme, attendees usually dress up as a skier. Skihaserl is literally translated as ski-bunny. Most females dress up as a ski bunny. So let your artistic imagination run free.

 

Weiberfasching or Weiberfastnacht

 

This is the female Fasching, celebrated the last Thursday before Ash Wednesday. This year, it falls on Feb. 20. Weiberfasching starts in the morning where masked women take over cities and symbolically take the key of the town hall from the mayor.

 

Another Weiberfasching ritual is to cut men’s ties. Men, be prepared: Don’t wear your most expensive tie. Ladies, don’t forget your scissors.

 

The day ends with Weiber-Fasching-Parties, festivities in which men dress up as women. Some parties won’t allow men not dressed the part to enter. While men dress up as women and many women dress up as men, this is not mandatory. Women can wear any other costume, but men commonly dress as women.

 

Maschkera Gungl

 

A traditional Bavarian Fasching in the Garmisch area with hand-carved wooden masks and live music. The masked and traditionally dressed-up Maschkeras move from place to place to celebrate traditional Bavarian Fasching.

 

Maschkera Treiben or Faschingstreiben

 

This is an outdoor event usually held in the middle of a town, market or dorf. Don’t forget to dress up warm while attending.

 

“Alaaf” and “Helau”

 

These are the traditional battle calls of Fasching. You can here or scream it at Fasching parades, parties — wherever. “Alaaf” is used more frequently in northern Germany, while “Helau” is the right one for Bavaria.

 

Here are some local Fasching events in the area.

 

Grafenwoehr / Vilseck area				2020
Feb. 15, 2020	Amberg Schlaghosenball 60’s	Fasching Ball	8 p.m.	Klosterhof 1, 92224 Amberg
Feb. 08, 2020	Pressather Ball	Fasching Ball	8 p.m.	Schinnerstrasse 6, 92690 Pressath
Feb. 08, 2020	Vilseck / Sorghof	Weiberfasching	8 p.m.	Dr.-Fitzthum-Str., 92249 Vilseck/Sorghof
Feb. 08, 2020	Grafenwoehr	Sportlerball	9 p.m.	Schulstrasse 18, 92655 Grafenwoehr
Feb. 09, 2020	Huetten Faschingszug	Fasching Parade	2 p.m.	Main Road, Huetten, 92655 Grafenwoehr
Feb. 15., 2020	Vilseck FV Ball	Fasching Ball / Circus	8 p.m.	Sportheim, Sportplatz 8, 92249 Vilseck
Feb. 16, 2020	Faschingszug Pressath	Fasching Parade	2 p.m.	Kemnather Str., 92690 Pressath
Feb. 20, 2020	Amberger Hexennacht	Weiberfasching / Outdoor	5 p.m.	Marktplatz, 92224 Amberg
Feb. 20, 2020	Vilseck Burg	Weiberfasching	8 p.m.	Schlossgasse, 92249 Vilseck
Feb. 20., 2020	Amberg	Weiberfasching	10 p.m.	Klosterhof 1, 92224 Amberg
Feb. 23, 2020	Vilseck Faschingszug	Fasching Parade	2 p.m.	Marktplatz, 92249 Vilseck
Feb. 23, 2020	Hahnbach Faschingszug	Fasching Parade	2 p.m.	Hauptstrasse, 92256 Hahnbach
Feb. 24, 2020	Rosenmontagsparty Sulzbach-Rosenberg	Outdoor Fasching	3 p.m.	Luitpoldplatz, 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg
Hohenfels area
Feb. 20, 2020	Dietfurt	Chinese Fasching Parade	2 p.m.	Downtown, 92345 Dietfurt
Feb. 23., 200	Hemau	Fasching Parade	2 – 5 p.m.	Downtown, 93155 Hemau
Feb. 01, 2020	Hohenfels	Kinderfasching	2 p.m.	Keltensaal, Dekan-Schnitter/Str. 6, 92366 Hohenfels
Feb. 25., 2020	Hohenburg	Kinderfasching	afternoon	Marktplatz 19, 92277 Hohenburg
Feb. 20, 2020	Hohenburg Weiberfasching	Weiberfasching	evening	Pucher Str. 13, 92277 Hohenburg
Feb. 22., 2020	Beratshausen	Fasching Parade	1 p.m.	Volksfestplatz, 93176 Beratshausen
Garmisch area
Feb. 20., 2020	Farchant	Maschkeratreiben	1:30 p.m.	82490 Farchant
Feb. 15., 2020	Farchant	Sportlerball	7:30 p.m.	Alter Wirt, Bahnhofstr. 1, 82490 Farchant
Feb. 11., 2020	Mittenwald	Maschkera Gungl	7 p.m.	Gasthof Alpenrose, Obermarkt 1 , 82481 Mittenwald
Feb. 18, 2020	Mittenwald	Maschkera Gungl	7 p.m.	Gasthof Gries, Im Gries 41, 82481 Mittenwald
Feb. 1, 2020	Kruen	Sportlerball	Evening	Kurhaus, , Kranzenbachstr. 28, 82494 Kruen
Feb. 14., 2020	Kruen	Kinderfasching	2 p.m.	Kurhaus, , Kranzenbachstr. 28, 82494 Kruen
Feb. 8.,2020	Mittenwald	Faschingsball	8 p.m.	Postkeller, Innsbrucker Str. 13, 82481 Mittenwald
Feb. 6.,2020	Mittenwald	Maschkera Gungl	7 p.m.	TSV, Oberermarkt 54A , 82481 Mittenwald

 

For more Garmisch events, please visit: http://www.maschkera.de/termine.php

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