Fasnachtsmarkt Mannheim

Mannheim's Fasnacht — a Kurpfalz identity

Mannheim's Fasnacht — also written "Faasenacht" or "Fasnacht" — is the Kurpfalz variant of the Rhenish carnival tradition: less shaped by carnival clubs than the Cologne or Düsseldorf format, and more strongly designed as a town festival. At the heart of this tradition stands the Fasnachtsmarkt — a six-day folk festival around Mannheim's Wasserturm and the Friedrichsplatz, which from 12 to 17 February 2026 will make the dazzling Mannheim city centre even more colourful.

The opening on Schmotziger Donnerstag

The official kick-off is Schmotziger Donnerstag, 12 February 2026: at 5:30 pm, Mayor Thorsten Riehle taps the first barrel — symbolically accompanied by Mannheim's Fasnacht Princess and Prince, the city band, local carnival clubs and the first polonaises. The Fasnachtsmarkt thus shifts into full swing.

Six festive days with 60 attractions

Showmen set up around 60 attractions on the Friedrichsplatz and the adjoining areas: the visually dominant Ferris wheel at the Wasserturm with views of the Mannheim skyline, classic carousels for children, several roller-coaster and free-fall rides, fairground booths, food stalls with Franconian and southern German folk-festival fare. Opening hours vary by day: weekdays 10 am – 8 pm (food until 9 pm), Sunday 11 am – 8 pm, Shrove Tuesday 10 am – 10 pm.

The small parade on Saturday

On Saturday, 14 February 2026, after the traditional boat trip (Vornehme-Inseln-Fasnacht), the small parade takes place: start at 11:33 am at the Kurpfalzbrücke, then through the city centre to the Wasserturm. Foolish guards, Fasnacht majesties, brass bands and carnival clubs move along the Planken in front of several thousand spectators — a more compact version of the great Fasnacht parade traditionally held on Carnival Monday.

The grand finale — street Fasnacht on Shrove Tuesday

The undisputed highlight is the street Fasnacht on Shrove Tuesday, 17 February 2026: from 2:11 pm to 10 pm, the entire Mannheim city centre goes wild. Five music stages with international DJs and live acts, costumes, polonaises, mulled wine, bratwurst — the Rhineland-Palatinate variant of the carnival climax. According to Mannheim's city administration, Mayor Riehle emphasises: "The Fasnachtsmarkt stands for a peaceful culture of togetherness that shapes Mannheim."

Mannheim — a major city at the confluence of the Neckar and the Rhine

With around 320,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in Baden-Württemberg and the economic centre of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. The city is one of Germany's youngest major cities (founded in 1607), famous for its chessboard street grid, the Schloss (palace), the Wasserturm as its landmark, and its industry (BASF, Daimler, Roche). Alongside the Maimarkt and the Stadtfest, the Fasnachtsmarkt is one of the highlights of the Mannheim events calendar and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year from across the Kurpfalz, the Palatinate and the Frankfurt region.