-
Discover Düsseldorf
- The Old Town
- Architecture
- Customs
- Shopping
- Free admission
- Eating & drinking
- Family recreation
- History
- Churches
- The Culture City
- The Art City
- The Media Harbour
- The Fashion City
- Museums
- Night-life & concerts
- Places & squares
- Parks & gardens
- Palaces & castles
- Gays & Lesbians
- The Top Sights
- Souvenirs
- The Sports City
- Theatre & Opera
- Local trips
- Zoos & animals
Background: Carnival in Düsseldorf
Carnival in Düsseldorf
Hoppeditz' Awakening
Altweiberfastnacht
Düsseldorf is one of the strongholds of Rhenish Carnival. Between 'Hoppeditz' Awakening' November 11th and Ash Wednesday, more than 300 carnival sessions and costume balls are celebrated in the state capital.
The highlight of the 'fools' season' is the Rosenmontagszug (Rose Monday Parade), more than two and a half kilometres long, with around 60 floats decorated with great ingenuity, and any amount of groups on foot winding their way through the city. Every year again, about a million 'fools' line the pavements, shouting 'Helau' (the local carnival greeting) and hoping to catch plenty of 'Kamelle' (sweets thrown from the various floats).
Possibly even more popular with Düsseldorf womenfolk is the Altweiberfastnacht (Thursday before Rose Monday), when women storm the townhall in order to show the town fathers who is really master of the house. Tradition demands that lots of ties get cut in the process!
The Sunday before the big parade has an almost Venetian atmosphere. On Königsallee, citizens in costume meet to dance, sing or simply have fun.
Düsseldorf's carnival has a longstanding tradition. As early as in 1825, the first prince was elected and the first Rose Monday Parade organised.
This annual colourful medley is organised by the Düsseldorf Carnival Committee which combines about 60 carnival clubs. The committee elects the prince, coordinates the numerous events and naturally also organises the Rosenmontag Parade.
And this parade, lasting for four to five hours, does need some organisation! Uncountable policemen and medical attendants are on duty along the parade's path, to name just one aspect.
On Ash Wednesday, it is all over. The fools get together to burn and mourn 'Hoppeditz', the local figure of an eloquent jester, hoping that the waiting time till next carnival will not be too long.
The highlights at a glance
Hoppeditz' Erwachen
(11 th November 2006, 11.11 hrs)
Start of the carnival season in front of the town hall with Hoppeditz, the jester, wittily scolding those in charge of the city.
Altweiberfastnacht
(15th February 2007)
Women take over town hall
Street carnival in the Altstadt
Carnival Sunday
(18th February 2007)
Street carnival on Königsallee
Rosenmontag Parade
(19th February 2007)
A gigantic parade with decorated floats and groups on foot winds its way through the city centre.
(Source: Düsseldorf Marketing & Tourismus GmbH)
