ESC the big theme Basel plunges into the three-day carnival with a mild morning prank
At the stroke of four o'clock on Monday, the street lights went out in Basel's city center for the carnival kick-off Morgenstreich. In dry weather, the streets and squares were transformed into a sea of lanterns, accompanied by the sounds of piccolos and drums.
10.03.2025, 05:30
10.03.2025, 06:08
SDA
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- The Morgenstreich kicked off the Basel carnival on Monday morning.
- Thousands of carnival revellers paraded through the streets and alleyways with their instruments and head lanterns on their "larva" behind the large procession lanterns.
- This year's big theme is the hosting of the ESC in Basel.
"Morgestraich - onwards, march!" was the chorus after the bells rang, which sounded the drums and piccolos. The Morgenstreich always begins with the march of the same name.
Thousands of carnival revellers parade through the streets and alleyways with their instruments and head lanterns on their "larva" behind the large procession lanterns.
The carnival revellers are dressed in "Charivari costumes", i.e. with individual outfits and masks. The Guggenmusik bands and float cliques will join the big Cortège in the afternoon.
Traffic jams of cliques
In the darkened city center, tens of thousands of onlookers stood in temperatures of around 8 degrees and watched the spectacle of carnival lanterns and drum and piccolo marches. The first traffic jams of cliques soon formed in the narrow streets.
The morning prank also gave a first impression of the subjects that the cliques play out on the "drey scheenschte Dääg". This year, the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in Basel is the big theme. Jean Tinguely's 100th birthday, the canceled Totentanz event, the plight of the cantonal police and the Japanese beetle are also popular subjects.
Motto: "Syg wie de wottsch"
The motto of this year's Basel Carnival is "Syg wie de wottsch". A combination of six different carnival figures can be seen on the plaque. It alludes to individual freedom and indirectly also to the ESC.
The carnival will take over Basel for three days. On Monday afternoon, the Cortège once again attracts tens of thousands of onlookers to the city. A total of 11,485 people in 442 units are registered for this year's Cortège on Monday and Wednesday.
From Monday evening, the "Schnitzelbänkler" will also be out and about again, singing their verses. The "drey scheenschte Dääg" in Basel end with the "Ändstraich" on Thursday at 04.00 am.