The Do’s and Don’ts of Fasnacht

Fasnacht is almost upon us—the wonderful, unique, colorful, and loud 3-day carnival that many Baslers consider the most important event of the year! It will be the first unrestricted Fasnacht since 2019 and will likely be exploding with four years of pent-up Fasnacht energy.

If you want to make the most of your Fasnacht experience, start out with a trip to Liestal on Sunday evening to witness their fiery “Chienbäse” parade (https://www.basellife.com/event/liestals-fiery-chienbase-parade/). It is certainly one of the most unique traditions and you need to see it to believe it!

Then, a few short hours later, drag yourself out of bed in the wee hours of Monday morning to be in town for the beginning of Fasnacht when the clock strikes 4:00 (https://www.basellife.com/event/basler-fasnacht-morgenstreich). Also, be sure to watch the main parade at least once on Monday or Wednesday afternoon. If you have kids, dress them up on Tuesday afternoon and head to town for the somewhat “tamer” children’s parade. A stroll through the inner city on Tuesday night is a must, to experience the concerts and lantern exhibit and bask in the most interesting of atmospheres.

However you choose to get the most out of Fasnacht, there are some definitive Do’s and Don’ts you should follow:

Respect the local traditions—and HAVE FUN!

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