It is Fasnacht/Carnival time in Basel, and lots of streets are decorated with Fasnacht figures. I was once told by a Swiss person who grew up in Basel, that Basel inhabitants either love Fasnacht or hate it. If the latter is the case, then they escape to the mountains and enjoy the skiing instead.
The Basel Fasnacht begins each year, six weeks before Easter Monday. It has its origins in old pagan customs and traditions, when people looked forward to celebrating the end of winter and the dawn of spring. With the amount of cold weather and snowfall that the UK and Ireland have had this year, I think you can understand and appreciate, why people would be only too glad to rejoice at the end of winter!
Fasnacht starts at 4.00am on Monday morning, all the street lights are turned off and the city centre is in complete darkness. Hundreds of people dressed in costumes, carrying lanterns and playing piccolos parade through the streets. The carnival continues until Wednesday!
Buses, trams and trains run what seems to be a 24 hour service, taking people of all ages to and from the Carnival. The streets are full of different coloured confetti that has been thrown from the floats carrying characters dressed in “Waggis” costumes, A Waggis is a typical Fasnacht costume that satirises the Alsatian peasants.
Fasnacht starts at 4.00am on Monday morning, all the street lights are turned off and the city centre is in complete darkness. Hundreds of people dressed in costumes, carrying lanterns and playing piccolos parade through the streets. The carnival continues until Wednesday!
Buses, trams and trains run what seems to be a 24 hour service, taking people of all ages to and from the Carnival. The streets are full of different coloured confetti that has been thrown from the floats carrying characters dressed in “Waggis” costumes, A Waggis is a typical Fasnacht costume that satirises the Alsatian peasants.
If you haven’t yet visited Basel to experience Fasnact, then do! It is a wonderful experience, full of colour, smiling faces, and lots of noise. Most hotels are fully booked a year in advance.
On Friday afternoon the children’s Fasnacht parade took place in our village. The kindergartens and schools have been busy over the past month, designing and making their costumes. Here are a few of the photos I took. Bear in mind, that this was just a local village Fasnacht parade starting at 2.00pm and finishing at 3.30pm, imagine 3 days of Carnival in Basel!
On Friday afternoon the children’s Fasnacht parade took place in our village. The kindergartens and schools have been busy over the past month, designing and making their costumes. Here are a few of the photos I took. Bear in mind, that this was just a local village Fasnacht parade starting at 2.00pm and finishing at 3.30pm, imagine 3 days of Carnival in Basel!
The clowns from kindergarten....
The snow kings from the other kindergarten class..... 
Check out the rope around the children to keep little ones from straying! Health and Safety.......
The Waggis.....
Scary cats!
Fishy fishy!
On fire!
Blue, green or yellow crocodiles.....
All tied up with more rope!.....
Pierrot and the clown on our way home.....
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