Germany’s Fifth and Zaniest Season
Depending on the region, Germans have different names for the celebration prior to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. Known around the world by the French Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), the Germans fondly refer to this time of year their fifth season. Known by the names of Karneval, Fasching, or Fastnacht, the season officially starts every year at 11:11AM on the eleventh day of November: 11/11 at 11:11AM. This is the precise time when carnival cIubs in Germany start preparing for the weekend-long carnival party in February which culminates in colorful costumed parades and raucous celebrations in the streets of German towns on Rose Monday.
The hot regions for Karneval are cities like Köln, Düsseldorfm, and Mainz along the Rhine River in southern Germany where traditional celebrations are Fasching or Fastnacht. The exact dates for German Karnival are different every year since the date of Easter moves. In 2009, German Fasching parties around the world will be held the weekend of February 21-22 and will end with Ash Wednesday on February 25.
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