Basel Carnival - practical tips for your visit

General behavioral tips

In order to make the Basel Carnival a positive experience and to ensure respectful interaction, we ask you to observe the following:

• Wear your badge so that it is clearly visible.
• Refrain from wearing face paint, cardboard noses, jester's caps, swaying and bellowing as well as excessive alcohol consumption. All of this is frowned upon at the Basel Carnival.
• Behave respectfully. Carnival is a time of joy and celebration. It is important that everyone feels comfortable and safe.
• Behave decently and in accordance with the law: racism, xenophobia, sexism, verbal abuse and insults, denigration of those who think and feel differently, and all other forms of discriminatory behavior are not in keeping with the spirit of the Basel Carnival.
• Do not take any instruments or props belonging to the active participants. They are valuable property and not souvenirs.
• Enjoy the carnival

For your safety

For your own safety and that of your children and dogs, Basel Carnival has the following rules:

• Don't pick up confetti from the ground and don't throw them at the active participants.
• Oranges, other food and objects distributed at the Cortège should not be thrown back or into the audience.
• Protect your hearing, for example with hearing protection, which you can get free of charge at the sales stands of the Fasnacht Committee on Marktplatz, Barfüsserplatz and Claraplatz; on Tuesday also on Münsterplatz.
• Use public transport or park your bike or e-bike outside the carnival perimeter (Cortège & city center).
• Give your children the "Pätty" badge (available from the Basel police station) with your telephone number on it.
• Leave your dog and other animals at home.
• When dealing with horses, special distancing rules must be observed and they must be given special protection

During Morgestraich

• The top priority on Morgestraich is darkness. Please do not open any curtains and do not light any fireworks.
• Please photograph and film without flash. Flash destroys the magic of the masks in the dark and it dazzles and irritates the costumed people. You will also take more atmospheric photos without flash.
• Arrive early and without rushing, look for a good spot. There's a big crowd at four o'clock.
• Stay together with your friends, but don't form a chain. We recommend arranging fixed meeting points at certain times in case you lose sight of each other.
• Enjoy the carnival with the necessary respect. Let the costumed people go first and don't hinder them when marching.