On December 29, Basel’s Fasnacht Committee, which is the main organizing organization behind Basel’s famous carnival, revealed the design of the 2023 “Plakette” (badge), whose sale supports the various groups (Cliques) and bands (Guggemusik) participating in the Fasnacht. Each year a competition determines the season’s design, and the choice is one of Basel’s best-kept secrets until the official reveal at the end of December.

This year’s badge has the motto “Zämme im Taggt” (Basel German for “Together in time”) and displays three typical Fasnacht figures—a Waggis with a drum, an Ueli with a flute, and harlequin acting as a drum major—in front of a metronome. The badge’s designers, Désiré Felix Meyer and Hampé Wüthrich, wanted to show that for the 2023 Fasnacht, all the participants are back together. In 2022, while many events could take place after two years of coronavirus-related cancellations, the big parades still were cancelled, thus excluding the groups that field all the large wagons and floats. This year, they can finally join all the other Cliques and Guggemusik bands again for the three days of Fasnacht. Additionally, the designers wanted to convey that all people are equal underneath their masks, that societal divisions should come to an end, and that everybody can look forward with confidence to celebrating the “drei scheenschte Dääg” (three most wonderful days).

The new badges will go on sale on January 7. Most of them are sold through the Cliques, but you can also get them from many street vendors in town who stand in various locations calling out “Blaggedde, blaggedde!” The badges are available in four versions, with slightly higher prices than in previous years. The copper version costs CHF 10, the silver version costs CHF 20, the gold version costs CHF 50, and the “Bijou” version that can be worn as a pin or as a pendant costs CHF 100.

By purchasing a badge and proudly wearing it on your coat, especially during the Fasnacht days, you not only support the Cliques in raising some of the immense costs they incur for their masks, costumes, instruments, etc., but you are also much more likely to receive some goodies during the large parades on the Fasnacht Monday and Wednesday rather than being doused in confetti!

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