Mainz, Germany – Everyone that thought that the German people are serious should experience once in their lives one of the biggest festivities in Germany to change their minds. Well it is nothing more than the carnival season. The carnival is one of the main events that occur in the city of Mainz, which is located in the Rheineland-Palatinade State of Germany, close to Frankfurt. The city is known for its history and being the home place of Johannes Gutenberg.

Normally Mainz is a calm city offering a peaceful atmosphere to its more or less 200,000 habitants. But it all gives a 360 turn when the Carnival time arrives. The city transforms, the streets turn lively and the fusion of colors, music, and parades inundate every corner.  Every year the carnival starts on a Thursday and ends up on a Wednesday. This year, it all started the 3rd of March, at 11:11 am, where all the people was gathered at the SchillerPlatz, that is a square located close to the city’s center. The city was decorated with music stages for the live concerts, food stands that offered the traditional German food, and a miscellaneous variety of costumes.

The first need you need to make sure you count with for the Carnival, is a disguise. It is amazing to see how everyone puts a lot of effort in dressing up and having the most original and amazing costumes. Ages do not matter, you see all kind of people and all kinds of ages enjoying and disguising.

Nevertheless, the most important day of carnival is known as Rosenmontag. Compared to the previous days of the carnival, on Monday the celebrations expand throughout the entire city, and the whole Mainz is covered in parades, and music. This day is the most celebrated in the Carnival since all the people are on the streets looking at the floats that circulate across the city. The people wave at the people that are on the floats, and yell Helau! Helau! Throwing to the spectators, all kinds of things mainly sweets, cookies, chocolates. The parade lasts for around 3 ½ hours, and counts with around 200 floats and 9000 people involved in the parade. Dancers, clowns, marching bands, horses; cheerleaders are all part of the procession.

Mainz Eassenacht Shrove Monday parade is the second largest one in Germany. Cologne and Düsseldorf are also recognized for their carnival. Every year the carnival season leaves a good taste in the mouth, and their citizens are always expecting the next year to arrive, since it never stops surprising. It is amazing to see how traditions are being maintained, and it is a time where the world stops for Mainz, and it is time to celebrate and have a good time.

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About the author

Estefania Herrera
I come from the half of the world, Ecuador. I am 22 and by leaving my country to study abroad in Spain, I've grown up as a person in an incredible way. Therefore I say, its good to experience new things, and get to know new cultures. But most importantly LiVe, lOvE and LaUgH.

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