Fasching Festival

Munich is well-known for its bigger festivals and events like the "Oktoberfest", the "Christkindlsmarkets" etc. There is a lot more to the style of living, the traditions, festivals and events of the people of Munich.
Fasching Carnival in Bavaria begins in early January and ends at Shrove Tuesday. The word "Fasching" is assumed to be a derivation of the Middle High German vaschanc or vastschang (Fastschank), the last drink served before the Fast. Historically, during Fasching the lower classes were allowed to wear costumes and masks and to mimic aristocracy and heads of church and state without fear of retribution for mockery. When things got out of hand however, the custom was forbidden for a while.

More high spirits are on display during the January-February Fasching. Munich’s carnival season is characterized by fancy dress balls. There are a lot of different traditions all over Bavaria. In some regions people wear old masks ("Larven") which make them look like demons and in processions the noisy crowd intends to drive out the winter. In other regions people wear costumes and ski down hills or take part in a "Hornschlittenrennen" as mentioned above. Parades take place at different places.

The carnival season in the Bavarian capital is packed with events mounted by a variety of civic organisations. The festival is locally known as the ‘season of fools’. There are literally thousands of events ranging from fancy-dress parties through to extravagant dances where guests dress in their finest outfits.
You can book early for any one of the special events, as they are very popular on the local’s calendar of events. Some of the more popular dances are the Chrysanthemum Ball and the Weiße Feste.

The public transport network in Munich is excellent with bus, tram and underground stations at or close to many of the main attractions in the city so you won’t find any difficulty to reach the carnival.

For further information click onto the following links:
Costumes and masks
January-February
Munich’s carnival season
Processions
Special events
Chrysanthemum Ball and the Weiße Feste
Public transport network