“Fasching” – Carnival in Munich 2017

So it’s that time of year again: yes, Carnival! As we’ve explain in previous years, Mardi Gras is a big thing in Germany and general and in Munich in particular. Called Fasching here (Cologne and the Rhineland refer to it as Karneval), it’s marked by a series of parties in the weeks running up to Lent, as well as processions and events just before Ash Wednesday. If you’re headed to Munich around now – or need to find out more about Fasching for whatever reason, keep reading.

What is a “Faschingsball”?

The run-up to Lent in Cologne is marked by a range of festive dinners with cabaret and comedy shows, but Munich likes its late winter months livened up with dances. A lot of residents head for at least one of the various Faschingsbälle – i.e. balls or galas – being held, the first of which was on 3rd February this year. In the last 10 days only, there have been another 12, and there’s plenty more where that came from, too. The Deutches Theater is a popular location for balls (the pig-Latin-named Gaudeamus and Chrysanthemum Ball being two well-known ones), as are the various beer halls (Filserball in Löwenbräukeller, for instance).
Then you’ve got the infamous Schabernackt party, which is, well, a “costume” party in as much as its one rule is that genitalia must be covered up. It stands in quite a contrast to the wide range of child-friendly events, however, such as the Kid’s Carnival Ball held by the “Damischen Ritter”, or “silly knights”, in Löwenbräukeller. In Germany, Carnival is all about role-reversal, so the “knights” are in fact ordinary people who, by “knighting themselves” for the week and wearing foolish looking clothing were once making a statement about power in feudal society (and are now just having a laugh). Look out for the tem this Sunday, 19th Februar, one week before Lenten week, when they hold their procession!

Street parties in Munich

Next Thursday, 23rd February, is the start of the real festivities in much of the rest of Germany, and there are few “tribute parties” held to match events in the Carnival capital, Cologne, at the Ruby nightclub and in Hofbräukeller. Then the Damische Ritter hold their Großen Faschingsball der Damischen Ritter in the rival Löwenbräukeller on Friday and that’s when people take to the streets: the whole pedestrian shopping precinct from Stachus to Viktualienmarkt is open, populated by beer and snack stands and people wearing extravagant, colourful costumes. Definitely a great way to spend your Sunday (if the sun is shining…).

Carnival in Munich: Shrove Tuesday at Viktualienmarkt

By far the biggest event, however, and the one truly unique to Munich is the dance of the market ladies at the famed Viktualienmarkt. A stage is set up and the stall-owners or their wives get up and show everyone what they can do (after, so rumour has it, practicing for weeks on end); the crowds gather and soon start to dance along, with the party going on into the evening.

The traditional close to Carnival is to eat fish (people used to give up meat for Lent), and you can head up to the Nockherberg brewery to do that. If the name sounds familiar, it should: Nockherberg is where the Strong Beer Festival gets off to a rip-roaring start just a few days after Fasching is over. This year, the first litres of Salvator Starkbier will be serve on 8th March, with the season going through to 2nd April! So even if you can’t make it for Carnival in Munich, there’s always a reason to party here.