Cologne Carnival 2027

Carnival in Köln is a season of its own. Karneval Köln 2027 opens officially on 11 November 2026 and ends on Ash Wednesday, 10 February 2027. In between come sessions, balls, concerts by dialect bands and parties in halls and pubs.

Dates. Weiberfastnacht is 4 February 2027 and Rosenmontag is 8 February 2027. Both are calendar calculations from Easter on 28 March; city portals give the same dates. The Festkomitee sets the exact parade programme, which we cannot yet confirm. The 2027 motto, per koeln.de, is "Morje es, wat do drus mähs".

What happens. Street carnival starts on Weiberfastnacht, with the Altstadt, the Südstadt and Ehrenfeld full of costumes. On the Sunday the neighbourhood parades walk through the Veedel, and on Rosenmontag the big parade goes through the centre. Tuesday is quieter.

Getting there. The main station is in the thick of it and trains are packed on Weiberfastnacht and Rosenmontag. Travel light, allow extra time and read the KVB and rail notices on closures. Parking in the centre is close to impossible.

Where to stay. Rooms in Köln and the region go early and expensive. Deutz, across the Hohenzollern Bridge, is a bit calmer. Bonn and Leverkusen are fallback options, but watch the last train.

Tips. Wear a comfortable costume, carry small notes for pubs and expect cold rain. If you plan a concert that week, check the nights before and after, when halls are less busy. For concert fans the season cuts both ways: halls, pubs and trains are full, but there is programming you will not find at other times, from sessions to dialect nights. If you only want one show, avoid Weiberfastnacht Thursday and Rosenmontag, when getting there and back is hard to plan. We will update this page when the parade details are confirmed.