Cologne Carnival
- 24 February 2028 – 29 February 2028
- Köln, North Rhine-Westphalia
Rule-based. This date is computed from a known, fixed calendar rule, not announced by anyone, but the rule itself isn't in doubt.
The main phase starts with Weiberfastnacht on 24 February and ends on Shrove Tuesday, 29 February 2028. The Rosenmontag parade follows on 28 February. The dates follow from the date of Easter.
Source: https://koelnerkarneval.de · Checked 2026-10-08
What Cologne Carnival is
Cologne Carnival, called Fastelovend in the local dialect, is the city's great pre-Lent street festival, with costumes, processions, music and beer in the pubs and on the squares. The session opens on 11 November at 11:11, but the street carnival, the part that draws visitors, takes place in the six days before Ash Wednesday. The planner shows it for 2028 from Thursday 24 February to Tuesday 29 February.
The dates are rule-based, calculated from Easter, not announced by an organiser. For parade times and special events, consult the organiser at koelnerkarneval.de.
Dates and how they are set
Easter Sunday 2028 is 16 April. Counting back, Ash Wednesday is 1 March, Shrove Tuesday is 29 February, Rosenmontag is 28 February and Weiberfastnacht is Thursday 24 February. The carnival Sunday, with the district parades, is 27 February.
A special feature of this edition is the leap day. Tuesday 29 February 2028 exists only every four years, and in this carnival it is also the last day of the street festival. Compared with the 2027 carnival in early February, this one comes about three weeks later in the calendar, because Easter is later in the year.
History and character
The city's carnival is organised by societies and the neighbourhood groups, and it follows a clear pattern: the Dreigestirn of Prince, Farmer and Maiden, the speeches in the local dialect, the songs that the whole city knows and the great Rosenmontag parade. The sense of community is as important as the spectacle.
Each day has a different mood. Thursday is a free-for-all, the weekend mixes parties and parades, Monday is the great show, and Tuesday is for small neighbourhood parades and, in the evening, the burning of the Nubbel in pubs, a symbolic end to the festivities.
What to see, do and eat
If you want to see the biggest parade, find a spot along the route on Rosenmontag, 28 February, and arrive early. For a more relaxed experience, go to the Sunday parades in the districts, or visit the Brauhäuser where Kölsch is served and the societies' sessions take place.
Eat Reibekuchen, the Halve Hahn and fresh pastries from local bakeries. In the days after, the Cologne cathedral, the Roman-Germanic Museum and the Rhine promenade are easy ways to recover.
Getting there and where to stay
Arrive by train at Köln Hauptbahnhof, where the exits lead straight to the old town. On the main days, crowds in stations and on the S-Bahn are heavy, so plan extra time and avoid the last trains if you can.
Central hotels fill up very early. Alternatives in Düsseldorf or Bonn can save money but add travel time, and the last return trains are often full.
Planning around holidays and bridge days in 2028
Weiberfastnacht (24 February) and Rosenmontag (28 February) are not public holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia. If you want to cover the main days, Thursday to Tuesday, you need four vacation days: Thursday 24, Friday 25, Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 February. Some employers give half days or full days off at carnival, but this is not a legal right.
A trip from Saturday to Monday costs one vacation day. The public holidays in the spring are later: Good Friday on 14 April and Easter Monday on 17 April, around Easter Sunday on 16 April. They do not help with the carnival dates. Ash Wednesday, 1 March, is a normal working day.
Tips and who it suits
This festival suits groups of friends, costume lovers and people who enjoy dense crowds and spontaneous celebration. It is not a quiet city break.
Wear layers under your costume, because late February can be cold, and keep valuables in an inside pocket. Because the dates are derived from Easter and not from an announcement, check the organiser's programme before you pay for travel.
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Written and maintained by Basaveswara Rao. Last reviewed on October 10, 2026.