Overview
- The 2026 timetable is Weiberfastnacht on February 12, Fastnachtssamstag on February 14, Fastnachtssonntag on February 15, Rosenmontag on February 16, Fastnachtsdienstag on February 17, and Ash Wednesday on February 18.
- Because the calendar tracks Easter, the dates move each year, with Fastnachtsdienstag landing on February 17 in 2026.
- All carnival days are legally regular workdays, though employers in strongholds such as Cologne, Mainz, and Düsseldorf often grant time off by custom or agreement.
- School attendance generally applies, with exceptions where winter holidays overlap in 2026, including Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern and Saxony.
- Most supermarkets and medical practices operate normally, some city offices in major carnival cities close on Rosenmontag, public transport and roads can be disrupted by parades, and traditions like Cologne’s Nubbel burning mark the close of festivities.