The carnival celebration begins on the Monday after Ash Wednesday at 4am and lasts 72 hours! Organizations, called cliques, parade around the city for the 72 hours playing flutes or drums, wearing masks, throwing vegetables, confetti, or candy at people on the streets. The days leading up to carnival are intense; the city is filled with lots of energy and colors. Sunday evening before the official start, the "themes" of the cliques are unveiled. The themes are often political and dealing with local drama.
I joined my neighbors (leaving Damian and Madeline at home to sleep), to partake in the Morgenstreich (4am beginning of Fasnacht). The cliques filled the streets and with their lanterns roam, playing music. At 4 in the morning, the city goes dark and the festivities begin. Here is a video of the Morgenstreich:
Here is a picture of one that has a familiar reference.
Later that day, we went for some traditional Fasnacht food of flour soup and onion quiche.
And then to the first of many, on-going parades where the participants throw tangerines, onions, lettuce, radishes, or other farm products at you. You also can get candy or get doused in confetti.
To avoid getting covered in confetti, you can support the cliques by purchasing a Fasnacht pin. Here is this year's pin in the "bronze" level (8 swiss francs).
