Outside FranceCarnival of Basel

The Carnival in Basel starts on Monday after Ash Wednesday, at 4:00am exactly. Just before 4:00am the city is quite but full of people. Cliques, marching bands in costume, gather then at 4:00 am the old town goes dark. All at once the Cliques start playing, by agreement they all play the same music.

Cliques continue to march and play music into the morning. Then around mid morning the Carnival takes a brake. In the afternoon floats replace the Cliques and the Carnival continues.

After 72 hours the Carnival ends.

4:00 am start of the 2014 Carnival, in front of the main church in the center of old Basel.

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