Nov 11 2010 March 9 2011
Carnival in Dusseldorf is one of the biggest party seasons in all of Germany. Dusseldorf’s carnival has a longstanding tradition. In 1825, the first prince was elected and the first Rose Monday Parade organized.This annual event is organized by the Dusseldorf Carnival Committee, which is a combination of about 60 carnival clubs. The committee elects the prince, coordinates the numerous events and also organizes the Rose Monday Parade.Between Hoppeditz Awakening on November 11th and Ash Wednesday, after the Rosenmontag Parade, more than 300 different carnival sessions and costume balls are celebrated in the state capital over 4 months.
Some of the main attractions include the Altweiberfastnacht or Women’s Night on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, when all the women of the city storm the town hall at 11.11am, their mission is to take control of the city for a day, with a street carnival through the Old Town, tradition demands that ties of all the men get cut in the process!
On the 5th of March, you can watch the Tuntenlauf or Drag Queen Race, where hundreds of men dress in amazing drag costumes and compete against each other.
The Sunday before the grand parade has carefree Venetian atmosphere on Koenigsallee, locals in fancy dress costume, meet to dance, sing and simply have fun.
To close this massive party season, the highlight of the carnival is the Rosenmontag Parade or Mardi Gras, where more than 6000 partygoers get dressed up in crazy brightly colored costumes and uniforms parade their way around the city.
The parade is more than 2.5 kilometres long, with more than 60 floats emblazoned with color, lights and craziness, countless groups, make their way through the city, the parade lasting for 4- 5 hours.
Annually, about a million Jesters ‘fools’ and visitors, line the pavements, shouting Helau, the local carnival greeting, hoping to catch plenty of Kamelle or candy thrown from the various floats.
On Ash Wednesday, it is all over. The fools get together to mourn the Hoppeditz, a local figure of an eloquent jester, hoping that the waiting time until the next carnival will be short.
Dusseldorf is a gorgeous city full of amazing things to do and see, including the Rhine Promenade, which joins the city to the River, or Media Harbour, the world famous Konlgsallee full of stunning shops and cafes, the Schloss and Park Benrath and if you have time a visit to Kalserwerth.
