Out and About: Fasnacht 2026

Fasnacht comes early this year on all sides of the border.

Lörrach’s revellers hit the evening streets with the Hemliglunggi parade (come in your nightshirt and nightcap) on Thursday, 12th February. The Gugge Explosion takes place from 11:00 to 24:00 on Saturda,y 14th February. Sunday 15th February sees the Stroosefasnacht parade, in Schwäbish-Alemannisch tradition, with a children’s parade and other events on Tuesday 17th February. More information: https://narrengilde-loerrach.de

Weil-am-Rhein celebrates Buurefasnacht a week later with a Monsterkonzert on the Berlinerplatz on Saturday 21th February at 15:00 and a grand parade on Sunday 22nd March at 13:30. More information https://www.ig-weiler-strassenfasnacht.de/.

Saturday 21st, Sunday 22nd and Saturday 28th February see bonfires on the top of several hills in Lörrach and the surrounding area as the locals drive out winter.

This year, Carnival in Mulhouse runs from Friday 20^th to Sunday 22^nd February. Events follow the Rhineland tradition (Cologne and Mainz), but the grand parade on Sunday has elements from Basel and Freiburg. More information: https://www.tourisme-mulhouse.com/en/experiences/carnival-of-mulhouse.

Sunday 22^nd February, 19:15 also sees the Chienbäse parade in Liestal. More information: https://chienbaese.ch.

Basel’s “three most beautiful days” begin on Monday, 23rd February at 04:00 with the Morgenstraich. The Cortège is from 1330 – 18:0,0 and the lantern exhibition on the Münsterplatz begins at 17:00. The evening sees Gässle and Schnitzelbänke (in restaurants and theatres)

You can look at the lanterns all day on Tuesday, 24th February. 13:00 onwards is Kinderfasnacht, and at 18:30 the Stärnmarsch begins. There are Guggenmusik concerts from 19:30 – 22:30 at Marktplatz, Barfüsserplatz and Claraplatz. In the evening, Schnitzelbänke visit the cellars and private residences.

Wednesday 25th February starts with the Cortège from 13:30 – 18:00. The evening again sees Gässle and Schnitzelbänke (in restaurants and theatres). The festivities end on Thursday, 26th February at 04:00 with the Endstreich, although the cliques are to be found on the streets on the next three Sundays (Bummelsonntag: 1st, 8th and 15th March). More information: https://www.fasnachts-comite.ch.