Karneval!! (Inside Germany's Craziest Festival)

The festival known as Karneval in North Germany, and Fasching or Fastnacht in South Germany, can also be called the “fifth season” because it is simply a time unlike any other in Germany. It is, from the American perspective, Halloween on steroids. My host mom comes from just outside of Köln (Cologne), a hub for Karneval festivities, and goes back every year for a long weekend of partying. I was super lucky because she let me and my host siblings tag along this year!

We arrived in Köln by train and checked into our hotel. Before even unpacking, we donned our costumes, did our makeup, and set off to find food before hitting the main party street. I did a joint costume with my host brother and his girlfriend, Celina. Celina and I were both deer, and my host brother David (my oldest host sibling of four) was a hunter—which was definitely not a Jägermeister reference…

As we walked the thirty minutes from the hotel to the famous Alter Markt (Old Market), where all the Karneval action takes place, I had several expectations in my head of what I would see there, but none of them came close to what I actually saw when we turned the last corner and saw over one thousand people—most of them not over twenty-five years old—standing in the road shoulder-to-shoulder, decked out in elaborate costumes ranging from Darth Vader to Lillifee.

After over thirty minutes of searching the crowds, we found the friends from our small town who were also in Köln for Karneval and hung out with them in the sea of people. There really isn’t much more to this crowd of people standing in the road than it looks like, but it was so fun to see the crazy costumes and to meet and talk to young Germans from around the country—something that would often happen spontaneously while moving through the throngs of people, as a simple compliment on a costume could lead to an hour-long conversation.

This gathering in the street is just one way of celebrating Karneval. The next day, we were able to experience Rose Monday, a huge parade similar to those in New Orleans during Mardi Gras or in Rio de Janeiro. In Köln, we witnessed hundreds dressed up as what seemed like something between medieval jesters and court entertainers, marching in a band procession. This was paired with large floats, strawmen of famous public figures, and lots of colors and sweets.

That night, we had tickets to see a live band playing only Karneval music—costumes mandatory, of course. The music of Karneval is a crucial element of what makes German Karneval so special. My host mom absolutely loves the music, but she, like most Germans, only lets herself listen to it during the short window of the Karneval season to preserve its specialness—much like only listening to Christmas music at Christmas, because it is such an integral part of the holiday and unique only to that specific time of the year.

Some of the most iconic artists include Querbeat, Bläck Fööss, and Höhner. I would absolutely recommend listening, as the songs are all super upbeat and immerse you in the incredible energy that can only be found at Karneval.