Wangener Fasnet — Großer Narrensprung

Wangener Fasnet — Tradition, UNESCO Cultural Heritage, and the Great Narrensprung

When the Swabian-Alemannic Fasnet (Carnival) reaches its fifth season in February, Wangen im Allgäu is one of the outstanding strongholds. The Narrenzunft Kuhschelle weiß-rot Wangen e.V. organizes the Wangener Fasnet — a multi-faceted custom recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2014. The highlight of the carnival week is the Großer Narrensprung on Rose Monday, one of the largest Fasnet parades in Württemberg Allgäu.

The Great Narrensprung 2026

The Great Narrensprung 2026 will take place on Rose Monday, February 16, 2026, starting at 2 PM, through Wangen's Old Town. Around 70 groups — invited guilds from Württemberg Allgäu, the Lake Constance region, Switzerland, and Vorarlberg — as well as Wangen's main guild itself, will participate in the parade. The route leads from the assembly point via Bindstraße, Marktplatz, Frauentor, and Spitalstraße through the entire historic center. You will see impressive wooden masks, artistically designed Häser (costumes), music bands, and traditional carnival calls — at the Wangener guild, it's 'Schelle — Schelle!' with the response 'Schell-au!'

The Wangen Main Figures

The emblem of the Narrenzunft Kuhschelle is the Schellenbue (also Schellenbube) — a traditional masked figure with a white-and-red Häs, a carved wooden mask, and a bell, living up to its name. Other historical figures also appear: the Schellenmoll (the female variant), the Mohren, the Hexen (witches), the Plätzler, and the Narrenrat (jester council) with its symbolic power over the town during Fasnet. The carving art of the wooden masks is a traditional craft in the region, passed down from generation to generation.

The Narrenwoche — From 'Schmutziger Donnerstag' to 'Fasendienstag'

The Wangener Fasnet encompasses a whole week of traditional events: on 'Schmutziger Donnerstag' (Dirty Thursday, February 12, 2026), the jesters symbolically take over the town — schools are 'stormed,' and teachers are sent home. This is followed by the 'Rathauserstürmen' (storming of the town hall), traditional balls, mask gatherings, and smaller parades. On 'Bromiger Freitag' (Greasy Friday) and 'Schmotziger Samstag' (Greasy Saturday), witch processions, mask parades, and smaller jumps take place. 'Fasendsonntag' (Carnival Sunday) features the mask ball, Rose Monday the Great Narrensprung — and on 'Fasendienstag' (Shrove Tuesday), the Fasnet is symbolically swept away with the burning of the carnival figure.

Wangen im Allgäu — Historic Imperial City

The former free imperial city of Wangen im Allgäu, with around 26,700 inhabitants, is located in West Allgäu, in the Ravensburg district. The Old Town, with its preserved city gates — Ravensburger Tor, Lindauer Tor, Frauentor — and its colorful half-timbered and burgher houses, is considered one of the most beautiful in Southern Germany. In February, this backdrop transforms into a stage through the Fasnet, as if made for this very custom. Anyone who has experienced the Great Narrensprung knows why the Wangener Fasnet is one of the major Swabian-Alemannic events.