Cologne Carnival (Kölner Karneval)

Cologne Carnival is one of the largest street festivals in Europe, with the core celebrations, known locally as the 'Crazy Days' (Tolle Tage), running from the Thursday before Ash Wednesday through Ash Wednesday itself, drawing well over a million participants into the streets each year. The season formally opens months earlier, on 11 November at 11:11 AM, but the main public festivities concentrate in this final week, culminating in the Rose Monday parade, a procession of elaborately decorated floats, marching bands, and costumed groups that winds through the city centre for several hours while crowds along the route catch thrown sweets and flowers. Throughout Carnival week, informal street parties fill squares and pedestrian zones, particularly in the Altstadt, while indoor Carnival sessions (Sitzungen) featuring comedy, music, and traditional Kölsch songs are held in halls across the city, generally requiring tickets booked well in advance. Visitors typically plan a full day around the Rose Monday parade, arriving early to secure a viewing spot along the route, though the preceding days of street celebration can occupy several days for those staying the full week. Accommodation books out months ahead of Carnival, and costumes, while optional for visitors, are worn by the great majority of participants and are considered part of fully joining the celebration rather than merely watching it.