This is the fourth and final instalment of the Fasnacht series. To understand what Fasnacht is all about, click here and here. You can also check out the post on a related event, the “Chienbäse”, here.
This year, I managed to catch the Cortège on both Fasnacht Monday and Fasnacht Wednesday. The city was packed with people – it was as if the entire population of Basel Stadt and Basel Land had descended upon Marktplatz, Barfusserplatz and Bankverein.
It was a colourful affair – the elaborate costumes, the lanterns, and of course, the seemingly endless shower of confetti coming from the playful Waggis.
Fasnacht Wednesday is a good time to check out the parade, as it is the last day and the Waggis typically need to get rid of their confetti, oranges, sweets and flowers. I came home after the Wednesday parade with this:
But with a price of course. My jacket, scarf, hair, clothes, everything, was covered in confetti. At one point the house looked like a the Fasnacht parade had taken a detour and made a pit stop at Chez Alma. Thank heavens for the vacuum cleaner, even if it did mean more housework for me. Haha.
Anyways, I’d like to share with you the atmosphere in Basel during the Fasnacht celebration, so I’ve compiled some shots taken during the Monday and Wednesday parades, as well as from the lantern display on Tuesday night, and put it all in these two short videos. Hope you enjoy it!
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