Hürth Carnival Parades

Hürth Carnival Parades — The Densest Carnival Week in the Rhenish Carnival Cycle

Hürth is located in the Rhein-Erft district southwest of Cologne — right in the heart of the Rhenish Carnival. What makes Hürth special: the town consists of several historically independent districts, each with its own carnival society and its own parade. The result: over ten parades in one week, from Weiberdonnerstag to Veilchendienstag.

2026 Programme — Day by Day Through the Districts

Thursday, February 12th, 2026 — Weiberdonnerstag

• 10:11 AM: Alt-Hürth Children's Parade (District Alt-Hürth)
• 2:00 PM: Berrenrath Parade (District Berrenrath)

Friday, February 13th, 2026

• 3:11 PM: Alstädten-Burbach Parade

Saturday, February 14th, 2026 — Carnival Saturday

• 12:11 PM: Alt-Hürth & Hermülheim Parade (Double district parade, the largest of the week)

Sunday, February 15th, 2026 — Carnival Sunday

• 2:00 PM: Efferen Parade
• 2:11 PM: Fischenich Parade

Monday, February 16th, 2026 — Rosenmontag

• 2:00 PM: Gleuel Parade
• 2:00 PM: Kendenich Parade

Tuesday, February 17th, 2026 — Veilchendienstag

• 10:00 AM: Efferen Children's Parade
• 2:30 PM: Stotzheim Parade
• 4:00 PM: Kalscheuren Parade — the traditional closing parade of Hürth Carnival

What Makes the Hürth Parades Special

Unlike the large-scale parades in Cologne (Rosenmontagszug Köln with 1.5 million spectators) or Düsseldorf/Mainz, the Hürth parades are district parades — smaller, more family-oriented, with clear routes through their own neighborhoods. Spectators come on foot from home, the carnival society knows every resident, and the atmosphere is intimate and hearty.

Typical elements:

• Satirical floats commenting on local politics, the mayor, and Hürth's municipal affairs
• Carnival guards in historical uniforms
• Dance groups from the carnival clubs
• Brass bands from Hürth's shooting and carnival societies
• Kamelle (sweets), Strüssjer (small bouquets), and candy in large quantities
• Costumed residents lining the parade routes

Rhenish Carnival — The Context

The Rhenish Carnival is Germany's largest traditional festival and is on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Cologne, Düsseldorf, Mainz, and Aachen are the metropolises — but the carnival experience in the suburbs and commuter towns like Hürth is often more authentic than in the tourist-flooded major cities. The Hürth parades are a perfect choice here: pure Rhenish carnival tradition, without the mass tourist factor.

Hürth — Town in the Rhein-Erft District

The medium-sized town of Hürth, with around 60,000 inhabitants, is located in the Rhein-Erft district directly southwest of Cologne. It's known for the MMC Studios Köln-Hürth (TV studios of the Endemol Group, filming location for many RTL shows), its industrial tradition (briquette factory), the Maarsee complex as a nature reserve in a former open-cast mine area, and its close proximity to Cologne (S-Bahn connection). Hürth is a typical Rhenish commuter town with its own identity: large enough for several district festivals, yet small enough for carnival to still be celebrated neighborly.