Kinderfastnacht mit Kleppern — Frankfurter Hof
Family Carnival with the Mainzer Klepper-Garde at Frankfurter Hof on the Wednesday before Altweiberfastnacht
About Kinderfastnacht mit Kleppern Mainz
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Mainz Carnival thrives on generational continuity: children are integrated into clubs at an early age, learn the songs, dances, and rituals of hall carnival, perform in children's guards, write their first presentations, and grow into the tradition. To achieve this, the clubs need age-appropriate formats that offer children access to hall carnival in a child-friendly form. The Kinderfastnacht mit Kleppern is one of the best-known and most traditional of these formats in the Mainz campaign.
The organizer is the Mainzer Klepper-Garde 1856 e.V. – one of Mainz's oldest carnival clubs – which specifically targets children and families with this format. The Frankfurter Hof in Augustinerstraße is chosen as the venue because, with its hall, central location in Mainz's Old Town, and connection to Mainz's cultural calendar, it offers the appropriate setting. Unlike the sessions in the Kurfürstliches Schloss or the Rheingoldhalle, which are designed for adult audiences, the Kinderfastnacht has a smaller, more intimate hall character.
The date on the Wednesday before Altweiberfastnacht – that is, the last Wednesday of the campaign, shortly before the start of street carnival from Altweiberfastnacht onwards – is deliberately chosen: during this phase, children are on school holidays or can attend the afternoon session, and the date gives the Kinderfastnacht its own slot before the big adult balls and parades of the weekend. It starts at 3:11 PM – a child-friendly afternoon time with the typical Mainz 'Elferzeit' reference (five past eleven).
The program combines performances by the Klepper-Garde's children's guards, participatory songs, dance animations, short sketches, and stories in the Mainz dialect, as well as family games. The hall is traditionally decorated with streamers, confetti, and carnival decorations; the children come in costume, as do many parents. The free admission and the promise of a pretzel and a drink for every child make the format accessible and inviting – a contribution to Mainz carnival culture at the children's level and one of the most beautiful family-oriented formats of the campaign.
Kinderfastnacht mit Kleppern Mainz — edition 2026
The 2026 edition falls on February 11 – the Wednesday before Altweiberfastnacht, making it the ideal date in the hot final phase of the campaign. The event begins at 3:11 PM with the typical Mainz 'Elferzeit' symbolism (five past eleven). The hall of the Frankfurter Hof will be festively decorated, the Klepper-Garde's children's guards will prepare their performances, and parents and families will fill the hall in colorful costumes. Over about two hours, a program unfolds that involves the children as active participants, alternating between stage shows, participatory activities, and a relaxed hall atmosphere.
The exact program for 2026 will be published by the Klepper-Garde in January. The structure follows the proven cornerstones of previous years: welcome by the presiding officer, performances by the children's guards, participatory songs, dance animations, short sketches, and stories, family games, and a closing tableau with the Narrhallamarsch.
Programme Kinderfastnacht mit Kleppern Mainz 2026
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 — from 3:11 PM
- 2:30 PM: Admission, hall fills with families in costume
- 3:11 PM: Start with welcome by presiding officer
- Performances by the Klepper-Garde's children's guards (dance performances, children's guard dance)
- Participatory songs and dance animations
- Sketches and stories in Mainz dialect
- Family games and quiz rounds for children
- Distribution of pretzels and drinks to all children
- Closing tableau with Narrhallamarsch and joint swaying
2026 Program:
The exact program and participating guards for 2026 will be published by the Klepper-Garde in January 2026 on jugend-in-mainz.de and mkg1856.de.
Highlights Kinderfastnacht mit Kleppern Mainz 2026
- Family carnival of the Mainzer Klepper-Garde 1856 e.V.
- Performances by the club's own children's guards
- Participatory songs, dance animations, sketches
- Pretzel and drink for every child included
- Frankfurter Hof — central location in Mainz's Old Town
- Free admission, costumes welcome
Prices Kinderfastnacht mit Kleppern Mainz 2026
Practical information — Kinderfastnacht mit Kleppern Mainz
Venue: Frankfurter Hof, Augustinerstraße 55, 55116 Mainz, in Mainz's Old Town.
Getting there: Mainz Main Station, from there by public transport or a approx. 15-minute walk. Parking garages Münsterplatz and Rheingoldhalle nearby, public transport recommended.
Date 2026: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 (Wednesday before Altweiberfastnacht), 3:11 PM.
Admission: Free.
Includes: Every child receives a pretzel and a drink.
Dress code: Costumes are welcome for children and adults.
Organizer: Mainzer Klepper-Garde 1856 e.V.
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Travel to this festival
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