Faasenachtsumzug Hassel (Ha-Na-Zu Night Parade)

Carnival in the Dark

The Faasenachtsumzug Hassel — officially Ha-Na-Zu for "Hasseler Narren-Zug" — is one of the most famous night parades in Saarland Carnival. While parades elsewhere run during the day, the Hassel parade starts at dusk: traditionally at 5:11 PM.

What Makes the Night Parade Special

Darkness is part of the staging. The floats are illuminated, the walking groups wear fairy lights and LED outfits, and the music bands march with lighting. This gives the parade a completely different atmosphere than a classic daytime parade — more stage-like, intimate, often surreal. Spectators line the streets with mulled wine in hand, and after the parade ends, the evening continues in the local marquees and pubs.

Faasenacht in the Saarland

In the Saarland, Carnival is called Faasenacht (or Fastnacht) and is deeply rooted in the predominantly Catholic culture of the state. The Hassel night parade is part of a packed Faasenacht calendar in St. Ingbert: there's the Town Hall Storm on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, the Hassel night parade, the big Sunday parade in St. Ingbert-Mitte, as well as other parades in the districts of Rohrbach, Rentrisch, and Oberwürzbach.

Who Organizes

The Ha-Na-Zu is organized by the carnival club of the same name, Ha-Na-Zu Hassel, in cooperation with the city of St. Ingbert. Safety concepts are professionalized — the streets are completely closed off, and security services and police accompany the parade.

St. Ingbert — A Central Town in the Saarpfalz District

St. Ingbert is located in the Saarpfalz district, east of Saarbrücken, between Bliesgau and the Palatinate Forest. With around 36,000 inhabitants, the town is one of the most important central towns in eastern Saarland — and the districts of Hassel, Rohrbach, Rentrisch, and Oberwürzbach each maintain their own Carnival traditions.