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Rhineland Carnival: A Comprehensive Guide
The Rhineland carnival is a vibrant celebration with various events spanning several months, including parades, parties, and traditional rituals.
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- Describe the Mainz New Year's Day event.
- In Mainz, New Year's Day features the "Fastnachts-Kampagne" parade, considered a cure for New Year's hangovers with more alcohol, music and revelry.
- What are "sessions" in the context of the Rhineland carnival?
- Following the opening day, "sessions" or parties with music, jokes, and alcohol are held, officially starting after New Year's Day. These include large, well-known events and smaller, alternative gatherings like Cologne's "Stunksitzung."
- When and how does the carnival season in the Rhineland begin?
- The carnival season in the Rhineland region of Germany begins on November 11th at 11:11 am, and culminates several months later with various events in cities like Cologne, Dusseldorf, Mainz, Aachen, and Bonn.
- What are "biwaks," and what role do they play in the carnival preparations?
- Some carnival groups set up "biwaks" (camps) before the main event for preparations, including costume making and food and drink. These gatherings also foster interaction between groups, despite usual rivalries between them.
- What is the significance of learning carnival songs, and what challenges can it pose?
- Each city has traditional carnival songs, with initiatives like Cologne's LMS (Lass mich singen) helping people learn them. The songs are often in local dialects, which can pose a language challenge to newcomers.