Genderkinger Gaudiwurm (Faschingsumzug)

Carnival Tradition in the Donau-Ries

When the guards march in Genderkingen on Shrove Saturday, one of the largest and most popular carnival parades in the Swabian Donau-Ries district begins. The Gaudiwurm — in Swabian dialect, the "funny worm" — is both the programme name and the symbol: a colourful, kilometre-long carnival procession that winds through the entire village. The event is organised by the Genderkinger Faschings-Freunde e.V., a carnival club active since 1998, which organises the parade on a voluntary basis.

Magical Worlds — The 2025/26 Session

Each carnival session has its own theme. For the 2025/2026 session, the Genderkinger Faschings-Freunde have announced the theme "Magical Worlds". Participating clubs, schools, businesses, and private groups from the region will embrace the theme in their floats and costumes — from wizards and dragons to fantastic legendary figures.

Course of the Gaudiwurm

The carnival parade starts on Shrove Saturday (2026: Saturday, February 14th) in the centre of Genderkingen. Guards, music bands, spectators in costume, and floats with political satire parade through the village streets — accompanied by the obligatory "Helau!" and a shower of sweets thrown into the crowd. Afterwards, the village celebrates with a big afterparty in the surrounding pubs and marquees.

Genderkingen on the Danube

Genderkingen is located on the right bank of the Danube in the Donaumoos, about 12 km east of Donauwörth in the Swabian part of Bavaria. Despite its relatively small population, Genderkingen is one of the carnival strongholds of Northern Swabia — a typical example of the Swabian-Alemannic carnival region, where individual villages maintain carnival traditions with supra-regional appeal. A visit to the Gaudiwurm can be ideally combined with a walk along the Danube or a trip to Donauwörth.