Mainzer Prinzengarde – 1. Gardesitzung 2026

The 1. Gardesitzung 2026 of the Mainzer Prinzengarde will take place on Friday, January 23, 2026, in the Congress Hall of the Rheingoldhalle in Mainz. The organizer is the Mainzer Prinzengarde e.V., one of the oldest and best-known corps of the Mainz Carnival. The session opens the corps' hall carnival season and has been a must-attend event for Mainz Carnival enthusiasts for decades.

Mainz Hall Carnival in its Purest Form

The Guard Session follows the classic structure of a Mainz Carnival session: marching music by the guards, show dances by the ladies', junior, and dance guards, lectures in dialect ('Büttenreden'), musical contributions by well-known Mainz Carnival bands, and appearances by friendly corps. The corps, in its historical uniform, welcomes guests with a solemn parade before handing over the stage to the performers.

Rheingoldhalle as the Session Hall

The Congress Hall of the Rheingoldhalle provides the fitting ambiance for a grand hall carnival session. The hall, located directly on the Rhine with a view of the cathedral, has been one of the city's central event venues since its opening in 1968 (reopening after renovation in 2022) and is one of the traditional session halls for the Mainz corps.

Carnival Times 5:44 PM and 7:11 PM

As is customary in Mainz, the times are also jester-like: admission at 5:44 PM, session start at 7:11 PM. The number 11 has been considered a jester's symbolic number since the 19th century and continues to shape the program of the Rhenish Carnival to this day.

Mainzer Prinzengarde

The Mainzer Prinzengarde is one of the most traditional corps of the Mainz Carnival and provides the escort for the Prince of Mainz Carnival. In their historical uniforms, they shape the image of Mainz street carnival as well as hall carnival and are a living part of the intangible cultural heritage 'Rhenish Carnival'.