Yes, you did just read that correctly. Carnival in Cologne is such a large and important event that it has earned itself the title of ‘The Fifth Season’. Starting at 11:11 on the 11th day of the 11th month, the festival carries on after a short break for Christmas, bringing throngs of people onto the streets - not just locals but also tourists from cities all over the world. With so many Carnival-loving people together in one place, getting your fill of Cologne’s party atmosphere is as easy as pie. One of Carnival’s most entertaining moments takes place in February when women traditionally descend on the town hall. As for the festival’s most poignant characteristic, that is undoubtedly its attempt to keep alive some of the cultural customs and ideas passed down from the Middle Ages to the present day. Carnivals were in the past thought to be cursed, and even today the festival finishes at midnight so the sins of the festival can be purged onto poor, innocent puppets.

For more detailed information about Carnival, please visit www.koelnerkarneval.de.