Karneval 2020 – for once I don’t flee

No matter whether you call it Karneval or Fasching, for most of the people in Germany this festival is a big deal. It’s a chance to join the colorful costumed celebrations, street parades, and costume balls in many German cities.
Having been a Karneval „grouch“ for most of my life (choosing to flee the craziness by travelling), I am doing things differently this year. Italian friends invited me to a costume party and I decided to go for it, spending loads of time (digitally) window shopping for just the right costume, wig, and make-up.

​So what is Karneval all about?

It’s the last big party before Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday. During Karneval, you have the chance to dress up and go a little wild (for the costumes anything goes, from very simple to the most crazy clowns, pirates, princesses, movie characters, you name it!). This is the time for excess, drinking kölsch or any other beer and eating krapfen doughnuts.

Cologne is the capital of Karneval with the whole city participating in the party. Over €2 million is spent on the celebrations including over 700,000 chocolates and 300,000 flowers that are handed out to the crowds at the parade. But my city Duesseldorf and the city of Mainz are not far behind and their parades are prominently featured live on national television, also. 

​And how was my party?

Well, I actually had great fun. Got to see cool costumes (women dressed like a strawberry, a pineapple, as hippie gals, oriental princesses, and men as pirates, Scotsman with quilt, the Godfather - and quite a number of couples in matching outfits) and certainly danced a lot. 

There was a fabulous Italian live band, playing everything from Rock, Italopop, all the way to Tarantella - and the big difference to German parties was that everyone immediately started dancing when the band began their gig.

​Normally you have to drag folks on the dancefloor, but these Italians just got going right away. And there was a surprising amount of couple-dancing, too. The men certainly participated in the fun. 

So it was great to be a "Karnevalist" for once, and I am grateful to my Italina friends for the invitation and the very fun evening!

"Helau" and good times to everyone out there who is still celebrating carnival (the big float parades will only take place tomorrow and I cross my fingers that the weather will improve and they can actually worm their ways through the cities without storm and rain!).