DISCOVER: Cologne Carnival 2025 – An Insider’s Guide
by Daniel Fowler
Unlike its Brazilian and New Orleans counterparts, Cologne Carnival (or Karneval in German) isn’t just a festival: it’s a full-blown season. Layered with tongue-in-cheek anecdotes and hints of dark humour, you can count on its street parades, family-friendly festivities and copious amounts of free chocolates to create memories that last a lifetime.
For an event that lasts a little under a week, it’s a lot to take in. But that’s just part of the excitement. There’s a reason over a million people eagerly flock to Cologne Carnival every year. To ensure you savour rather than drown in the revelry, we’ve packed all of Cologne Carnival’s best festivities into a day-by-day, hour-by-hour, easy-to-digest itinerary. So convenient, right?
Weiberfastnacht (Women’s Day)
Morning
Coffee downed and costume donned, head straight to Alter Markt: the de facto centre of the city and the beating heart of Carnival in Cologne. Here, at precisely 11:11am, you’ll witness the official opening ceremony, complete with costume-clad jecken and the introduction of the Dreigestirn — the triumvirate of Carnival royalty consisting of the Prince, Peasant, and Virgin (traditionally all men, despite the latter’s title).
At this point, the City Hall is symbolically stormed by women, with the mayors surrendering the keys to the city. Our recommendation? Women, bring scissors. Men, be prepared. On a day dedicated to Cologne’s frauen, snipping men’s ties and collecting them as symbolic, power-neutering trophies has long been tradition. Go ahead and get stuck in.
Afternoon
Brauhäus boozing aside, it’s the legend of Jan un Griet that takes centre stage post-lunch. Make your way over to Chlodwigplatz to catch a reenactment of the (somewhat) true story about a local farm boy, Jan, who becomes enamoured with a snooty maid, Griet. A tale of love, arrogance, rich and poor, picture Romeo and Juliet but spiced up with some endearing, no-nonsense German honesty.
Stick around once the curtain drops too — Carnival’s first parade is about to begin. As Reiter-Korps Jan von Werth and local Carnival clubs weave their way through the streets, do as the locals do: open your bag, scream at the top of your lungs, and prepare to have flowers, chocolates and sweets thrown your way.
Evening
It’s time to party. Zülpicher might attract the biggest crowds, but you’ll find tonight’s best parties in brauhäuser just off Altstadt and Südstadtdive. Früh am Dom is always a favourite for crisp Kölsch (Cologne’s signature beer) and a hearty plate of Himmel un Ääd (heaven and earth) — a local dish of mashed potatoes, apples, and blood sausage.
Carnival Weekend
Weiberfastnacht (Friday after Women’s Day)
Shake off yesterday’s excesses with breakfast in bed and a long, lazy morning in art’otel Cologne’s sauna. Friday is well known to be a day for nursing hangovers and recovering from last night’s revelry, so if you want a gentler day with some sightseeing, do it now. Just expect to see your fair share of celebrations at the city’s biggest attractions.
Once afternoon blends into evening, it’s all eyes on Sternmarsch: a family-friendly, sparkler-lit, no-ticket-necessary celebration featuring Cologne’s 37 neighbourhood clubs. Starting around 18:00 (with grandstand seating opening at 16:00), this colourful gathering at Atler Markt guarantees plenty of songs, performances and goosebumps for anyone in attendance.
Karnevalssamstag (Carnival Saturday)
Drag yourself out of bed (trust us, it’s worth it) and join the merry masses converging on Neumarkt for the Funkenbiwak — a morning spectacle brought to you by Cologne’s original party pioneers, the Roten Funken.
What started over two centuries ago as a tongue-in-cheek mockery of Prussian rule has now evolved into a magnificent morning parade. One where uniformed guards march with tongue firmly in cheek and brass bands blast away any remaining hangovers. Serving traditional pea soup and Kölsch from 09:30, this lively affair proves that Cologne doesn’t just do breakfast better: they do it with brass bands, beer, and a hearty side of historical sass.
Karnevalssonntag (Carnival Sunday)
Another day, another parade. Today’s main event? Schull-und Veedelszöch, a community-focused celebration run by nearby schools and neighbourhood groups. Taking an almost identical route to the one on Rose Monday, it’s a wholesome homage to the city’s youngest creatives and future partygoers. Expect to see lots of floats packed with imagination and tomfoolery moving through the city centre.
Elsewhere you’ll find Veedelszüge — smaller, local parades that are the essence of what makes Cologne Carnival so special — also start to pop up. It’s the suburban streets of Rodenkirchen that are the real highlight here. Line up alongside 60,000 locals, step to the beat of the 1,200 marching in procession, and embrace the infectious energy of the afterparties along Maternusstrasse and Hauptstrasse.
Rosenmontag (Rose Monday)
Morning
This is it. The pinnacle of Karneval. Rose Monday hosts the largest and most spectacular parade of the festival. Indulge yourself with a substantial breakfast and stake out your spot in Altstadt early. Want a pro tip? The open-air and covered grandstands along Severinstraße and Mohrenstraße are the places to be. Make sure you nab a ticket when they go on sale in November.
At precisely 10:00, a cannon blast signals the start of this 8-kilometre spectacle. Expect floats, music, mayhem, and around 300 tonnes of sweets to be passed out as the city’s population nearly doubles for the next 24 hours.
Afternoon
The procession runs long into the afternoon, so pace yourself. Refuel with a ‘Mettbrötchen’ (a local delicacy of raw minced pork on a roll) and wash it down with — yes, you guessed it — more Kölsch.
If you want a change of scene, make your way to the Heinzelmännchenbrunnen, a fountain depicting the legendary gnomes of Cologne. Legend has it that these little creatures once did all the city’s work at night, until a curious tailor’s wife scattered peas on the floor to trip them up. They left in a huff, never to return — except, perhaps, during Karneval when the city seems touched by magic once more.
Evening
Parades officially over, the party continues at pretty much every single bar, restaurant and home around the city. If you want to avoid the crowds, head to Agnesviertel, Südstadt or Ehrenfeld. Otherwise, you’ll find plenty of local bands playing to a chorus of ‘Kölle Alaaf!’ — Cologne’s traditional Carnival greeting — in the city centre until well into the early hours of the morning.
Veilchendienstag (Violet Tuesday)
Morning
Set off bright and early to Wilhelmplatz for the Nippeser Veedelszöch — one of Cologne’s oldest and liveliest neighbourhood parades. Don’t be fooled into thinking this is more of the same though. While other parades are invite-only, this one’s open to the public. Any group, of any size, can take part.
Some groups use the freedom to make political statements. Others simply as a platform for their own in-jokes. Previous years have seen everything from schools turning up with sinking-ship floats (a nod to Cologne’s teacher shortages), to local, long-time friends donning glittery-white cockatoo outfits in a love letter to one of the group’s pet birds. This is Cologne Carnival carnage at its flamboyant best.
Afternoon
Attending Nippeser Veedelszöch is a six-hour affair, so don’t worry if you miss the start. Just make sure to be there for the ever-impressive Nippeser Bürgerwehr group at the end: a dancing, prancing stalwart of all-things Cologne Carnival since 1914 and, to most in attendance, the headline act of the day.
Colloquially known as ‘Appelsinefunke’ due to their bright orange uniforms, you’ll know it’s them when you hear a 50-strong live marching band singing songs about wanting more potato pancakes, or’ Kartoffelpuffer’ in German. If you’ve never tried them before, take this as your sign to. They’re heavenly.
Evening
By this point, you might have noticed straw effigies popping up above the city’s pubs and restaurants. That’s Nubbel: witness and scapegoat to all of Carnival’s excesses. In true medieval fashion, he’s about to be burnt at the stake, taking all the preceding week’s indulgences with him. Pick your pub of choice and watch as his ashes restores the city’s innocence just in time for the coming season of Lent. When the clocks strike midnight, Cologne Carnival officially reaches its end. Time to head to bed, enjoy a well-deserved lie-in and probably phone reception to book late check-out.
