Frankfurt Carnival (Karneval) Parade
/Frankfurt Karneval Parade
The date of the Karneval parade relates to Lent and therefore changes each year (see dates below). In Frankfurt the main parade takes place on a Sunday and commences at Westhafen and takes the following route to the Römerberg:
Untermainbrücke - Neue Mainzer Straße - Friedensstraße - Kaiserstraße - Roßmarkt - Goetheplatz - Rathenauplatz - Biebergasse - Hauptwache -Katharienenpforte - Bleidenstraße - Liebfrauenberg - Töngesgasse - Fahrgasse - Battonnstraße - Kurt-Schumacher-Straße - Fahrgasse - Braubachstraße - Römerberg
Route of the carnival parade through Frankfurt city centre on Sunday, February 23rd 2020.
Childrens Karneval Parade
On the Saturday before the main parade Frankfurt hosts a Children's Karneval Parade, usually starting at Hauptwache and walking through to the Römerberg.
"Frankfurt Helau!" at the Karveval Parade
Karneval History
In Germany carnival is associated with the predominantly Roman Catholic states. Frankfurt however, maintains it’s carnival tradition because of historical ties to the Holy Roman Empire as both the election and coronation city of the Emperors. Today in Frankfurt the celebration mainly takes place in the form of parades and is a fun event for adults and children alike. For a full-on carnival experience head to the Rhineland cities of Köln, Düsseldorf and Mainz, the extensive festivities developed in these cities as a way of being subversive towards the occupying forces, e.g. the Prussians and the French, during the early 1800's. It was an opportunity to parody the occupiers and the military and, still today, parades march by with people dressed up in military costumes.
Carnival officially commences on 11th November at 11:11, but the key celebrations start on the Thursday before the beginning of Lent and end by Shrove Tuesday. The main event is the street parade. Highly decorated floats pass by throwing sweets for the children and marching bands, some dressed up in military uniforms and others in garish costume, provide musical entertainment. The crowd joins in by dressing up too.
Why do parades start at 12:11pm?
Why start a parade at 12:11pm and not 12 o'clock? One theory is the the number eleven, pronounced "elf" in German is an acronym of the French revolution cry of egalité, liberté, fraternité and the number 11 was a reference to the struggle of the German states, who in the early 1800's, were demanding democracy and liberty from the ruling classes.
Happy Karneval everyone! PS: Listen out for the traditional Frankfurt carnival cry of "Frankfurt Helau!"
Future Karneval parade dates
2024: February 10th - 11th.
2025: March 1st - 2nd.
2026: February 6th - 7th.
That's right, just trundle your canon across the town square, why don't you!
