Lucerne Carnival

The Lucerne Carnival returns on February 16 - 22, 2023, preserving traditions from the 15th century.

A unique festival in Lucerne Switzerland

This unique festival focuses on parades, with the origin of the carnival dating back to the 15th century. It is based on the religious customs of the days before Lent. During the days of the carnival, residents of Lucerne will turn the city into a centre of joy and happiness.

The first day of the carnival is Dirty Thursday, which is the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. To commemorate the start of the festival, residents gather at the city square where a shotgun is fired to start the fiesta. At 2pm, a parade of players in colourful costumes with brass bands and loud drums takes to the streets.

After the formal portion of the parade, the bands will wander through the streets, and the sounds of drums and trumpets can be heard throughout the city. Monday is called Fat Monday, and another noisy, colourful parade starts up in the city and doesn’t end until midnight. The carnival ends on Fat Tuesday with two parades: a children's parade and a monsters’ parade, and the drummers play until the morning of Ash Wednesday.

Plan your trip today

Head over to the official website for information on tickets, as well as all other information.