Are you getting involved in Fasnacht this year? I have run the local carnival sites through google translate but I am still at a loss as to how it works.

What are you doing with your children?

Isn't the tradition to pop them onto a spit and serve with fava beans?

Fava beans?Not cervelas then?
It gets more confusing here by the day

Most kids love the fasnacht music, quickly picking up the beat for marching.

In Basel, there is one afternoon parade that is espcially meant for thew children to be watching - not sure which day. Can someone else give that info please?Ìt`S okay for very little children to dress up, but it seems that the unwritten rule is that the only others people to dress up are those who are actually in the participating cliques. There are lots of people throwing out fruit, sweets and small toys for children.

On a smaller scale, other towns and villages also have fasnacht parades. Last year, I went to the one in Muttenz. That was a Sunday afternoon , small parade and would be easy enough to negotiate with very littlies.

Sunday evening is the Fire parade through Leistel. It gets very crowded ( crushed) and I do not recommend taking young children for that reason , even though it is visually spectacular.

I think Alschweill(sp) also has a Sunday happening. I hope this helps you a bit.

Hi
Wondered where you had gone.. nice to read you again.
My suggestion would be to search google for different carnival festivities and to mark the date for the Basel Fasnacht which is by far the best one.

http://www.basler-fasnacht.com/

There will be a few over the next 2 week-ends (I believe, maybe more) in different villages until the beginning of lent. It's basically a nice time for the kids to get all dressed up and disguised and share in the village festivities.

When mine was small, I'd take him to hear the Guggenmusic, and enjoy the rides

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I think the Tuesday (so this year the 15th March) is the childrens' day, and good old wikipaedia backs this up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_of_Basel

Also from what I've been told by regulars/colleagues, it's quite a family event generally... but i guess a 4am start may not be ideal for them.

DilysDidoreth - I love the octopus picture!

My 5-year-old son had his Fasnachtball at kindergarten on Friday. He went to school all excited, dressed as a pirate, and came home miserable saying he'd been bored out of his wits. After some careful questioning it turned out that the music was very loud - it always is which is why I tend to avoid Fasnacht events like the plague, but I thought it wouldn't be so bad at a school event - and so he was bored because he couldn't have conversations (also he couldn't run around and play for some reason?!) First time we've ever been less than thrilled with his school.

Not trying to suggest that Fasnacht is no good, but if this is your first one it might be worth investing in some earmuffs or similar for the children. I noticed this year they've got special protective earphones in the fasnacht section at Manor (I think) - first time I've seen it but I don't normally look.

Hope your kids love it!

I've seen children wearing ear protection for many years at the Luzern parades. I think most of the parades for the children are done for this year as they are normally held before school is out. For example, Buchrain's was yesterday.

Here's an English explanation of the Luzern version of Fasnacht.

The Tagwach is for the very dedicated and is not for children. There are parades (umzug) on both Thursday (3 March) and Monday (7 March) at 13:45. Basically the same, except many companies give their employees the Monday afternoon off, so there could be more people at the Monday afternoon one. Watch the weather forecast - if it's just cold, it's not too bad, but if it's rainy, it's much better to experience it via the power of television (multiple channels will show it).

More schedule info. During the day it's pretty family oriented, with some friendly drunks thrown in for extra color. Evenings are different.

I am delighted to report that this restriction does not apply in Luzern.

how true, i saw the cutest Rooster, Hen, and Chick family a few years ago, though one has to admit, Luzerners are in a class of their own.

I bought a feathered Mask, this year, my husband says it looks like it belongs to the Moulin Rouge swiss!!

Nor in Ticino.

Also, here it ends Sunday March 13 at sunrise.

Tom

Many families wearing matching costumes, or follow a theme. A useful is a circus theme, with the children wearing animal costumes in their circus wagon (little wagon with a few extra bits for the bars, etc.). Good costume and the children have someplace to sit.

I've only been to Carnivale in Viareggio and EVERYBODY dresses up! I saw all the costumes and noise makers, wigs, masks in Manor (Basel) in adult sizes and thought it would be the same here. Even if it was just on one of the days. I've been looking online at pictures from previous years and didn't see the spectators in costume so I was getting a bit suspicious. And what about the HUGE bags of confetti???

I think we may still go out with our jester hats, masks and noise makers and act like tourists. Where is the best place to watch?