Getting Ready for Karneval in Koeln

One of the biggest events in Cologne (and most of northwestern Germany) in the winter is Karneval. It officially begins on 11th November and slowly builds to an entire week of partying that ends on Ash Wednesday.
Since we have arrived in the city, we have seen more and more signs of impending Karneval.

On the local TV channel, we regularly see coverage of Karneval costume parties with dinner and live entertainment. The parties are often sponsored by local groups and societies, such as the Akademie för uns Kölsche Sproch. The music is usually traditional German (i.e., lots of polka), with appearances by local celebrities. Tickets can range from 20 to 100 Euros, and they usually sell out quickly so we haven't gotten to go to one.

One thing I really love about Karneval is the city-wide sense of community. It's not uncommon to see people of all ages walking around in costume, coming or going from parties, and more than once entire restaurants have spontaneously burst into song to sing along to Karneval song on the radio! The music is not my favorite, but I really enjoy the sense of community, tradition, and fun that go along with it.

We attended the first day of Karneval on Thursday, which is called Weiberfastnacht or Women's Carnival. Today and Monday we're checking out a couple famous parades, and today there is not a cloud in the sky (for what feels like the first time since we arrived) so it should be fun!