Germersheim Carnival Parade

The Germersheim Carnival Parade has been an integral part of the Südpfalz carnival tradition for over sixty years. The organizing club, KV Die Rhoischnooke 1960 e.V., preserves the Rhenish-influenced carnival customs in the former fortress city on the Upper Rhine and is one of the oldest carnival clubs in the municipality.

Route and Schedule

The parade starts punctually at 1:01 PM in Richthofenstraße in the west of the city center. From there, the procession moves via Marktstraße towards Paradeplatz, the central festival square of the city center. Paradeplatz, formerly the drill ground of the Prussian garrison, forms the focal point of the parade. From there, it continues via Königstraße to the final section.

Participants

Around forty to fifty groups participate in the parade: themed floats from local clubs and companies, dance groups of KV Die Rhoischnooke, dance groups from friendly clubs in the Südpfalz, music clubs, fanfares, walking groups, and clubs from the municipality. The themed floats are built in the weeks leading up to the parade through volunteer work and are often highly political or satirical.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere along the route is exuberant, costumed, and loud. Cheers of "Helau!", candy, caramels, and plush toys thrown from the floats, as well as numerous small catering stands for spectators, characterize the scene. After the parade, the festival party moves into the city center pubs and onto Paradeplatz.