The Fasnet Season Step by Step: From Epiphany to Ash Wednesday
In Basel, Fasnacht starts at four in the morning on the Monday after Ash Wednesday, while elsewhere people have been celebrating since January. The season does not run the same way everywhere, even if the main days usually follow one another in a similar order. In this text, Fasnet-Kompass gives an overview of the Fasnet calendar, from the first weeks to the last day before Lent. Is there one schedule for the whole region? No, but a general rhythm shows up in many places.
The Start of the Season: Epiphany and the Weeks Before the Peak
The Swabian-Alemannic tradition of Fasnet, or Fastnacht, is known in southwestern Germany, Switzerland and neighboring regions. In many places the season opens on January 6, Epiphany. In others it begins later. Because customs differ from place to place, our account stays general and does not refer to any particular group, guild or town.
From the start of the season, everything builds toward the high point. The exact dates depend on the date of Easter and so change from year to year, which is why we do not list them here. Checking the local events calendar is worthwhile, since each place sets its own program.
Schmotziger Donnerstag: The Start of the Hot Days
Schmotziger Donnerstag is the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. In many places it opens the hottest days of the whole season.
For participants and spectators it marks the shift from preparation to exuberant celebration. Not every place marks the day in the same way, though. In some it clearly kicks off the peak of the season, while elsewhere the start is a quieter affair. How this Thursday is spent depends on local customs.
The Peak: Weekend, Rose Monday and Shrove Tuesday
The season reaches its peak over the weekend and on Rose Monday and Shrove Tuesday. During these days the festivities shape public life most visibly. Many towns hold parades in this period, and the best-known form is the Narrensprung. The exact program, the order of events and the times are set locally, so there is no single schedule for everyone.
Basel is a special case. Its Fasnacht begins on the Monday after Ash Wednesday at four in the morning with the Morgestraich. The Basel Fasnacht was added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage in 2017. The example shows that the Fasnet calendar does not always match the course of events familiar from smaller towns.
Ash Wednesday: The End of the Season
Fasnet ends on Ash Wednesday, which closes the circle that opened weeks earlier. The general course of the season can be summed up like this: a start in January, a build-up from Schmotziger Donnerstag, a peak in the last days and a close on Ash Wednesday.
If you would like to follow the festivities, look up the program of the town in question. You will find further articles in Fasnet-Kompass, where we collect worthwhile facts about Fasnet tradition and Guggenmusik.