Welcome to the Cologne Carnival!
The official homepage of the Festive Committee of the Cologne Carnival of 1823
Carnival has been celebrated in the City of Cologne since time immemorial. However, after the French Revolutionary troops left Cologne in 1814 and the Prussians took over, it was high time to "organise" the street carnival which, the new authority felt, was getting out of hand.
Thus, in 1823 the "Festordnendes Komitee" was founded, the predecessor of todays Festive Committee.
On February 10, 1823 Cologne celebrated the first Rose Monday ("Rosenmontag") with the motto "Inthronisation of the Carnival Hero".
Over the years, decades and centuries certain traditions and customs emerged, which are still the hallmark of the traditional Cologne Carnival: the indoor festivities (sessions and balls) and, of course, the street carnival, culminating in the grand parade on Rose Monday. It is the task of the Festive Committee, the umbrella organisation representing well over 100 Cologne carnival associations, traditional corps, etc., to coordinate, set common standards, and preserve the tradition of the "fifth season".
No doubt, the Cologne "Karneval" plays in the Champions League together with the Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro and Carnival in Venice!
The Carnival Season
Given its Christian roots, the date of Rose Monday is determined by the Church calendar: It takes place on the Monday before Ash Wednesday, which in turn marks the beginning of Lent leading up to Good Friday and Easter. Traditionally, the fifth season is declared open at 11 minutes past eleven on the eleventh of November! The Carnival spirit is then temporarily suspended by the Advent and Christmas period, and picks up again "in earnest" in the New Year. Street carnival, also called "the crazy days", takes places between Thursday (Women’s Carnival Day) before Rose Monday and ends on Ash Wednesday. In 2007 the dates are as follows:
Women's Carnival Day, Thursday, 15 February 2007
Official opening of the street carnival at 11:11 hrs at the Alter Markt in the heart of the old town of Cologne.
Carnival Saturday, 17 February 2007
Traditional "Funkenbiwak", the gathering of the colourful Corps troops at the Neumarkt.
Carnival Sunday, 18 February 2007
School group parade through the city centre starting at 11:00 hrs.
Rose Monday, 19 February 2007
The climax of street carnival, with the official parade starting before 11:00 hrs, organised by the
Festive Committee of the Cologne Carnival.
Carnival Tuesday, 20 February 2007
Various Carnival parades in the suburbs of Cologne.
Ash Wednesday, 21 February 2007
Traditionally, fish dinners are served at pubs and restaurants.
