Basler Fasnacht Online

Freitag, 21. September 2007
Welcome to Basel Fasnacht

If you are already familiar with Basel's famous carnival, Fasnacht, you may already know most of the information contained in this short guide. But if this is your first visit to our splendid event, which locals like to call the «most wonderful three days», we hope to give you some valuable tips about what to see.

Fasnacht is like one big family party for the whole of Basel, although guests are obviously more than welcome. It has to be said that our carnival, whose origins are deeply rooted in local tradition, does not give visitors much of an opportunity for active participation in the proceedings. And there are bound to be many things you simply will not understand: our Basel dialect, the things we make fun of (usually local events and personalities), and our own special brand of humour with its strong irony. Even so, you are sure to be fascinated by the incredible party atmosphere, the vivid colours of the carnival costumes, the stirring tunes of the drummers and piccolo players, and the weird and wonderful «Guggen» music played by the brass bands. Perhaps you will simply enjoy wandering around our city's lively streets, alleys, bars and restaurants, absorbing this unique mixture of celebration and melancholia, and the haunting enactment of mediaeval ritual: the dance of death (Totentanz) and the masquerade (Mummenschanz). The best way to enjoy things is simply to wander around the streets and go with the flow. And a final tip: don't take our humour too seriously!

Further information:

Fasnachts-Comité
Glockengasse 7, CH-4051 Basel
Internet: www.fasnachts-comite.ch
Mail: info@fasnachts-comite.ch

Basel Tourismus
Im Stadtcasino am Barfüsserplatz
und im Bahnhof SBB, CH-4010 Basel Tel. +41 (0) 61 268 68 68, Fax + 41(0) 61 268 68 70, info@baseltourismus.ch
Steinenberg 14, CH-4051 Basel
Internet: www.basel.com
Mail: info@baseltourismus.ch

Lifting the Mask - your guide to Basel Fasnacht
by Peter Habicht, illustrated by Fredy Prack
Internet: www.bergli.ch
Mail: info@bergli.ch
ISBN 3-905252-04-X

Der Abdruck erfolgt mit freundlicher Genehmigung des Fasnachts-Comités. Der Text ist Teil einer Broschüre, die im Jahr 2000 in Zusammenarbeit mit Basel Tourismus erschienen ist.