People in carnival costumes on an outdoor stage in driving snow.

Fasching in Munich 2025

Munich likes it crazy

It's all systems go at 11 am on November 11: Munich's carnival societies celebrate the start of the zany “fifth season” with the presentation of their prince and princess couples. Here you can read all about the highlights of Fasching in Munich and the history of the festival.

Overview

- Open-air carnival
- Carnival parade 2025
- About the fasching balls
- Events in November
- Events in December
- Events in January
- Events in February
- Events in March
- A brief history of Fasching
- Narrhalla: the first ever Fasching society
- About Ash Wednesday

 

Whether clown's nose, dinner jacket or elaborately crocheted full-body bee costume – every form of disguise has its place in Munich's Fasching, or carnival. The city is filled with fun and festivity, dancing and general clownery. The people of Munich have enjoyed themselves at their festivals and balls for generations. The majority of events take place indoors but during the peak period Fasching eventually finds its way into the city’s streets and squares.

 

Open-air carnival in the centre of Munich

The last days of Fasching are its wildest. One highlight of the zany season is the open-air party München Narrisch in the city centre: in 2025, the colourful street festivities are scheduled to take place from February 27 to March 4, with stages set up at Marienplatz (main square) and Karlsplatz-Stachus. Numerous music and dance groups perform here on the carnival days.

One legendary highlight is the Dance of the Market Women on Shrove Tuesday, March 4, followed by a carnival gathering on Viktualienmarkt (market). While the market woman, as they proudly call themselves, once danced around their stalls individually, today they perform together to exuberant music on a podium. Instead of fruit and vegetables, the market stalls sell beer, wine, sparkling wine and mulled wine.

The market women have become quite ambitious: in the course of the year they take professional dance lessons in preparation for their big performance at carnival. The performance by the market women would be inconceivable without the choreography to the cult song by folk singer Weißferdl entitled Wagen von der Linie 8 – a hymn to the Munich tram, full of the humour and griping that is so typical of the city. No chance of keeping a straight face!

 

Carnival parade Munich 2025: 23rd of February

The carnival parade of the Damische Ritter (literally: “silly knights”) through parts of Munich's Fussgängerzone (pedestrian zone) will also take place in 2025. No exact date or route has been set yet. The procession is traditionally led by “Duke Kasimir” on his castle float. All manner of knights and acolytes join in the parade – garden gnomes, unicorns, girl dancers known as Funkenmariechen, brass and drum groups. And as befits a genuine carnival celebration, there’s always a wealth of political satire, too.

The performance by the market women would be inconceivable without the choreography to the cult song by folk singer Weißferdl entitled Wagen von der Linie 8 – a hymn to the Munich tram, full of the humour and griping that is so typical of the city. No chance of keeping a straight face!

For several years now, selected city centre restaurant owners have offered a Weisswurst (veal sausage) brunch on Shrove Monday: this is served during the morning, since according to an old custom a Weisswurst must not hear the clock strike twelve. Last season, guests had to pay only one to two euro per Weisswurst. 

Fasching balls in Munich's festival halls

Munich carnival very much embraces the tradition of the courtly balls and festival halls, as well as the legendary artists' and studio parties that took place in Schwabing in the late 19th century. Nowadays, every club, guild and fraternity puts on its own ball. The spectrum is wide, with numerous events to choose from – whether colourful Künstlerfeste or balls with evening dress. Fasching in Munich has many faces.

The city's carnival strongholds include Deutsches Theater and Hotel Bayerischer Hof as well as beer cellars such as Löwenbräukeller and Augustiner-Keller. At these venues and others like them, Munich's Fasching societies, clubs and associations – first and foremost Narrhalla, founded in 1893 – organise festive gala evenings, balls and parties for carnival fans both young and old, ranging from a salsa party at Pasión de Baile to the family-friendly Pumuckl-Ball. 

The best addresses and dates for Fasching season in Munich

 

Events in November

 

11 November 2024

Introduction of the new Narrhalla prince and princess

more information coming soon

 

16 November 2024

Narrhalla-Hofball

Where: Bayerischer Hof
When: 8pm, entrance at 7pm

 

24 November 2024

Verleihung des Kunst- und Kabarettpreises der Narrhalla „Sigi-Sommer-Taler“ (award ceremony)

Where: Wirtshaus im Schlachthof
When: 5:30pm

 

Events in December

 

15 December 2024

Festliches Weihnachtskonzert der Narrhalla „Der Stern geht auf“ (christmas concert)

Where: St. Maximilian
When: 5pm

 

Events in January

 

10 January 2025

Faschingsverein Laim Inthronisation

Where: Augustinerkeller
When: tba

 

11 January 2025

Faschingsclub München-Neuhausen e.V. Inthronisation

Where: Augustinerkeller
When: tba

 

Volkstümliche Inthronisation des Offiziellen Prinzenpaares der Stadt

Where: Odeonsplatz
When: 11:11 am (live band from 10:30 am onwards)

18 January 2025

Moosacher Faschingsclub Gardetreffen

Where: Augustinerkeller
When: tba

 

19 January 2025

6. Münchner Schunkelmesse

Where: St. Maximilian
When: 10:30 am

 

25 January 2025

Schwarz-Weiß-Ball „Münchner G'schichten“ der Münchner CSU

Where: Paulaner am Nockherberg
When: wird noch bekannt gegeben

www.csu-ball-muenchen.de

 

Events in February

 

01 February 2025

Auftakt der „Weissen Feste“ - dem Münchner Künstlerfasching (White festivals)

Where: Café Reitschule
When: 8pm
More dates: 08 February, 15 February, 21 February, 22 February, 27 February, 28 February, 01 March, 03 March

www.weissefeste.de

 

07 February 2025

Oide Wiesn Bürgerball

Where: Deutsches Theater
When: 8pm

www.festring.de

 

08 February 2025

Großer Narrhalla Ball „Soiree Münchner Leben“ mit Verleihung des „Karl-Valentin-Orden“

Where: Deutsches Theater
When: 8pm

 

Gauklerball: Die Gaukler um 1900

Where: Münchner Künstlerhaus
When: 8pm

www.kuenstlerhaus-muc.de

 

09 February 2025

Pasion de Baile

Where: Deutsches Theater
When: tba

 

14 February 2025

Roses & Love Ball

Where: Deutsches Theater
When: wird noch bekannt gegeben

 

15 February 2025

Ball der Nationen

Where: Deutsches Theater
When: tba

 

16 February 2025

Pumuckl und der Faschingsprinz: Familienfaschingsball (family ball)

Where: Festsaal Bayerischer Hof
When: 1:30pm

 

Bal Classique

Where: Deutsches Theater
When: tba

21 February 2025

Kinderfasching im Deutschen Theater (fasching for children)

Where: Deutsches Theater
When: 2:30pm

 

Gaudeaumusball

Where: Deutsches Theater
When: tba

 

Filserball, der legendäre Trachtenball der Filser-Buam

Where: Paulaner am Nockherberg
When: wird noch bekannt gegeben

 

23 February 2025

Parade of the Damischen Ritter

Where: Münchner Innenstadt (old town)
When: from 1:30pm

 

Moosacher Faschingsclub Kinderball

Where: Augustinerkeller
When: tba

 

Kinderfasching

Where: Hofbräukeller
When: tba

 

Weiberfasching: 27 February 2025

Unsinniger Donnerstag: Weiberfasching

Where: Viktualienmarkt
When: 2pm (live music from 1:30pm)

 

Weiberfaschingsdonnerstag

Where: Ratskeller
When: tba

 

Unsinniger Donnerstag: Narrhalla Schlagerfasching

Where: Altes Hackerhaus
When: 18 Uhr

 

Weiberfasching mit Radio Arabella

Where: Hofbräukeller
When: tba

 

Ball der Sterne

Where: Deutsches Theater
When: tba

 

28 February 2025

Faschingsverein Laim Faschingsball

Where: Augustinerkeller
When: wird noch bekannt gegeben

01 March 2025

Narrhalla Kostümball

Where: Festsaal Bayerischer Hof
When: 9pm (entrance from 7pm)

 

Rock that Swing Ball

Where: Deutsches Theater
When: tba

 

Events in March

 

02 March 2025

Kinderball der Damischen Ritter

Where: Löwenbräukeller
When: tba

 

Jamboree Ball

Where: Deutsches Theater
When: tba

 

Rosenmontag: 03 March 2025

Rosenmontagsparty

Where: Augustinerkeller
When: tba

 

Rosenmontag im Ratskeller

Where: Ratskeller
When: tba

 

089Kult – Die Faschingsparty am Rosenmontag

Where: Deutsches Theater
When: tba

Faschingsdienstag: 04 March 2025

Tanz der Marktfrauen (dance of the market women)

9.30 a.m.: Warm-up with swaying music and appearance of the prince and princess of the market traders and showmen
10 a.m.: Official welcome and warm-up by the Narrhalla
11 a.m.: Dance of the market women

Sales at the stalls from 9.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

Where: Viktualienmarkt
When: from 9.30 a.m.

 

Faschingsdienstag im Ratskeller

Where: Ratskeller
When: tba

 

Straßenfest am Faschingsdienstag

Where: Deutsche Eiche / Reichenbachstraße
When: 2-10pm; at Deutsche Eiche until midnight

 

Faschingskehraus

Where: Hofbräukeller
When: from 6pm

 

Ash Wednesday: 05 March 2025

Geldbeutelwaschen

more information coming soon

 

A brief history of Fasching in Munich

While other countries and cities celebrate carnival, the people of Munich have what they call Fasching.

The word Fasching itself developed from the Middle High German vaschanc or Fastnacht, i.e. the night before fasting begins, when everyone has one more chance to let loose and engage in high-spirited partying. Being of Bavarian and Austrian origin, the term Fasching is only used in southern Germany. The Munich Fasching probably originated from the war dances and knights’ games of the Middle Ages, with the first documentary evidence dating back to the 15th century. Over the years, carnival activities became increasingly mixed with local customs.

Up until his death, Künstlerfürst (“Prince of Artists”) Franz von Lenbach (1836 – 1904), whose villa today houses Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus (art gallery) with its Blauer Reiter collection, was president of the association Allotria, which organised Fasching processions of historic proportions.

The Munich Fasching saw its heyday in the late 19th century, when artists' and studio festivals, parades and jesters' balls were co-sponsored by leading artists of the time. The epicentre was Schwabing's bohemian scene with its artists, writers and free spirits who had settled in the vicinity of the newly built Akademie der Bildenden Künste (Academy of Fine Arts) that opened in 1886.

Up until his death, Künstlerfürst (“Prince of Artists”) Franz von Lenbach (1836 – 1904), whose villa today houses Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus with its Blauer Reiter collection, was president of the association Allotria, which organised Fasching processions of historic proportions. Renowned artists such as August Kaulbach designed costumes and sets. The Fasching festivities of these wild years were captured in the works of humourists such as Wilhelm Busch and Karl Valentin and by painters such as Carl Spitzweg and Pieter Breughel.

Narrhala – the first ever Fasching society

1893 saw the founding of the first ever Fasching society, Narrhalla, marking the birth of Munich's very own carnival tradition. In addition to a procession, the society started out by mainly organising charity festivals in support of the poor population. The idea was to recreate some of the flair of the Cologne carnival in the city on the Isar river. The coronation of the new prince and princess continues to take place every year: they are the official Gaudimonarchen (“monarchs of fun”) of the City of Munich and receive the golden key of the city from the Mayor at the beginning of the carnival season.

1893 saw the founding of the first ever Fasching society, Narrhalla, marking the birth of Munich's very own carnival tradition.

Helping social causes is still something Narrhalla is deeply committed to: three quarters of all performances and visits take place at social institutions such as homes for the elderly and care facilities, with the aim of bringing joy to those who are unable to take part in the colourful Fasching festivities themselves.

It's not all over on Ash Wednesday

When carnival is laid to rest with a humorous speech at the stroke of midnight on Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. But even on Ash Wednesday, not everything is over in Munich. This is the day when the people of Munich take their wallets – which are empty from Fasching – and wash them in the Fischbrunnen fountain on Marienplatz. The Mayor also joins in his tradition, symbolically dipping his municipal purse into the fountain – which supposedly helps fill the coffers with fresh money. This is directly followed by a fish dinner: it is in this way that many traditional Munich restaurants mark the beginning of Lent, which certainly has its attractions, too. After all, no sooner is carnival over than the strong beer season is upon us in Munich.

 

 

Text: München Tourismus; Photos: Werner Böhm, Christl Reiter, Birgit Widmann, Stadtarchiv München
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