From the Epiphany in January to Shrove Tuesday, which falls this year on March 4, it's Carnival season in Germany. In Mittenwald in southern Germany, traditional Fasching events - which include a lot of scary figures in wooden masks and shorts - take place against the stunning backdrop of the Bavarian mountains.    

Celebrate in February in the mountains - in shorts

The celebrations in Mittenwald kick off on Unsinninge Donnerstag (Nonsense Thursday) on February 27, 2025. At 12pm on the dot, bell ringers in Mittenwald and the nearby towns of Wallgau and Krün make a racket to ring in the spring - a tradition that stretches back some 500 years. 

Watch as a long line of men in traditional Lederhosen and wooden masks bang heavy cowbells while dancing through the town. The cacophony will knock out any Glühwein-related cobwebs you may still have lingering after the holidays. The wooden masks are meant to scare away the final bits of winter and any evil spirits lurking in dark corners.

Dance with the Maschkera

These masked folks are called the Maschkera, and the tradition extends past just dancing in the streets and making lots of noise. In the local taverns, Maschkera will ask a woman to dance, have a great time, and then disappear!

Each one of these masks is carved locally, and often individual masks will be passed down through families for several generations. It’s all about fun, but the local people take this quite seriously too – after all, it’s a tradition that has continued in this region for half a century.

Celebrating carnival in Mittenwald

You can participate in Carnival festivities in towns and villages around Mittenwald on the following dates:

• Thursday, February 27 - Maschkera procession - Mittenwald
• Thursday, February 27 - Unsinninge Donnerstag
• Saturday, March 1 - Circus-themed carnival party - Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Sunday, March 2 - Maschkera parade - Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Sunday, March 2 - Maschkera parade - Großweil
• Sunday, March 2 - Maschkera parade - Eschenlohe
• Monday, March 3 - Rose Monday Ball - Garmisch-Partenkirchen

You can find more information on celebrating Carnival in Mittenwald, and details on all of these events, on the Bavaria visitor website.

Thumb image credit: FooTToo / Shutterstock.com