Fasching - The Carnival Season in Munich The carnival season has different names in germany: in Cologne and Duesseldorf "Karneval", in Mainz "Fasenacht", in other regions "Fasnet" or "Fosnat". The carnival season in and around Munich is named "Fasching". Carnival was originally a pagan festival, later it has become associated with the catholic church and was celebrated on the day before the beginning of Lent. Nowadays the carnival season begins officially on November 11 with the coronation of a carnival prince and a carnival princess and lasts about three months until Ash Wednesday seven weeks before Easter. The most Fasching events are held in the last four weeks. During the Fasching main season from January 7 to February 16 this year more than 800 balls will be held in Munich. The biggest ones are parties with thousands of people. Most of them are fancy dress balls, but there are also classic gala balls in dinner jacket and evening dress ("Schwarz-Weiss-Bälle"). To get a first impression we recommend to visit one of the big traditional balls in the "Löwenbräukeller", in the Hotel "Bayerischer Hof" or in the rooms of the Bavarian Broadcasting station ("Funkbälle"). Another historical place of Fasching-balls, the "Deutsches Theater" (the first costume ball in the "Deutsches Theater" was organized already in 1897) is in renovation at present. The balls take place in a new building in the north of Munich.   Ball dates Löwenbräukeller   Ball dates Deutsches Theater   Ball dates Bavarian Broadcasting   Ball dates Hotel Bayerischer Hof The "Ball der damischen Ritter" (Ball of the crazy knights) in the "Löwenbräukeller" on February 12 is a persiflage of Bavaria in the middle ages. You will see a lot of funny people dressed in knights' armours. The "Weissen Feste" (white parties) in the "Max-Emanuel-Brauerei" are from legendary call. These Fasching parties, which were originally parties of the Schwabing artists, are held already for over 40 years. The visitors have to come in white costumes. In the light of the special neon tubes (so-called bull's-eye light) it looks quite eerie.   Ball dates Weisse Feste On February 7 at 11 a.m. the "Crazy Knights" will organize a small carnival parade starting from Odeonsplatz and ending at Stiglmaierplatz, but it is not comparably with the big and magnificent carnival processions in Cologne and Mainz. During the last three crazy days (on Fasching Sunday, on Rose Monday and on Shrove Tuesday - this year February 14, 15 and 16) the pedestrian area in the city center around Marienplatz is turned into a gigantic open air party zone with live music, fancy dresses and dancing. One of the climaxes of the Munich Fasching is the dance of the market women on the "Viktualienmarkt" (Victuals Market) at 11 a.m. on Shrove Tuesday. The market women rehearse for it already months before. So, now try out the Munich Fasching. You need no expensive costume. Luxurious costumes are here the exception. All you need is a good mood and you will have a lot of fun during the carnival season in Munich.