Bonn Rose Monday Parade — 200 Years of Bonn Carnival

Bonn Rose Monday Parade 2026 — Anniversary Parade for the 200th Birthday

On Rose Monday, February 16, 2026, starting at 12 PM, Bonn Carnival makes history: The Bonn Rose Monday Parade will take place for the 200th consecutive time since 1826. The festival committee celebrates the anniversary under the motto „200 Years of Bonn Carnival — jestern, hück und morje" (Bönnsch: „yesterday, today, and tomorrow") and plans a special parade intended to unite the entire city.

Program and Route

12 PM — Start on Thomas-Mann-Straße

The parade forms in the morning on Thomas-Mann-Straße and starts punctually at 12 PM. The assembly area extends from the Main Station to the university.

Route

The parade traditionally leads:

• Thomas-Mann-Straße (assembly and start)
• Past the Bonn Münster
• Past the Bonn City Hall (Market Square)
• Through the Altstadt
• Back towards Hofgarten

Duration

The parade traditionally lasts 2.5 to 3 hours — depending on the pace of the floats and walking groups.

What to Expect

Floats from Carnival Societies

Over 100 floats from the major Bonn carnival societies: Bonner Karnevalsgesellschaft Klein Cölle, KG Bunten-Liechter, KG Ramersdorfer-Jecken, KG Beueler-Hähne, Funken-Artillerie, and many more.

Walking Groups and Bands

Drum corps, dance groups, school classes, neighborhood groups — all generations are represented in the parade.

Kamelle, Strüssje, and More

From the floats, they throw:

• Kamelle — candies, pralines, chocolates, licorice
• Strüssje — small bouquets of flowers
• Plush toys and small balls
• Small gifts from sponsors

The revellers shout „Kamelle!" or „Strüssje!" — and the louder they shout, the more loot lands in their bags.

New Inclusion Float for 2026

A special innovation for 2026: an inclusion float will participate in the Bonn Rose Monday Parade for the first time. It is equipped with a lift system and can:

• Accommodate 4 people with mobility impairments
• Transport 10 wheelchair users
• Feature special railings allowing seated individuals to see the spectators and throw Kamelle

With this, the organizing committee responds to the growing need for inclusion in Carnival as well. Registrations are via a dedicated form.

Safety and Logistics

Due to overcrowding in 2025, a section of Heerstraße will be closed to spectators. The Frankenbad area will be designated as an alternative viewing area to better distribute the crowds. Several hundred thousand spectators are expected — the Bonn police and the city recommend using public transport.

Bonn Carnival — 200 Years of Tradition

Bonn Carnival celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2026 — the city's first organized Rose Monday parade took place in 1826. This makes Bonn one of the oldest carnival cities in the Rhineland, on par with Cologne (1823) and Düsseldorf (1825). The Bonn Carnival tradition is closely linked to Beethoven's birthplace — as early as 1816, Bonn Carnival balls were held at the city theater. The special term Bönnsch refers to both the Rhenish dialect and Bonn's carnival culture.

Bonn — the Former Federal Capital on the Rhine

The federal city of Bonn, with around 330,000 inhabitants, is located on the Rhine between Cologne and Koblenz. Until 1990, it was the capital of West Germany; today, it is a UN location and the seat of many federal ministries and authorities. Carnival is one of the city's most important cultural hallmarks — alongside Beethoven, the Rhine promenade, and the university. The Rose Monday Parade is the highlight of the annual carnival season.