It’s Carnival season in the Alps – the frivolous festive period immediately before Lent. 

This weekend, towns and villages across the region will take to the streets in garish fancy dress costumes for several days of wild street parties – with oom-pah band parades, street entertainment and fireworks.  

The merriment climaxes on Faschingsdienstag (Shrove Tuesday), before Aschermittwoch (Ash Wednesday) heralds the start of Lent.

Carnival is celebrated widely in the Alpine regions of Europe, most notably in Bavaria, Baden and Swabia in Southwestern Germany; Switzerland; Alsace; and the Vorarlberg (Western Austria).

Some of the liveliest Carnival celebrations can be found in Switzerland – in Basel, Bern and Solothurn.   You can read more about their festivities in our feature ‘Carnival in the Alps – the ‘foolish fifth season’ by clicking here.

FamilySkiNews is heading to Poland to join in all the Carnival fun in the ski resort of Zakopane this weekend, so come back soon to see how we got on!