Carnival season in Germany: how to meet people in Cologne and Frankfurt

Every year at 11:11 on 11 November, thousands of people in costumes start singing in the streets of Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz. It's the start of carnival season, the time of year when the Rhineland is at its most open. You can stand next to a stranger dressed as a bee, share a table, sing the same songs and end up as friends by the evening. If you've ever wanted to meet new people in Germany, there's no better time to go out.

This guide explains how the season works, the traditions you'll see, how to go solo or with a group, and how to stay safe. It focuses on Cologne and Frankfurt, with links to our city guides for real places to go.

What carnival season is

Carnival has different names depending on where you are: Karneval in Cologne and Düsseldorf, Fastnacht in Mainz and Frankfurt, Fasching in other places. Locals call it the fifth season. It has two big moments.

The opening on 11.11. In 2026 it falls on a Wednesday, 11 November. In Cologne the party starts in the morning on Heumarkt and Alter Markt in the old town, and the season officially begins at 11:11 with a countdown and a lot of confetti. Pubs across the city fill up from the morning on.

The street carnival in February. After the opening, the season goes quiet over Christmas, with indoor sessions and balls in between. Then comes the street carnival, the days everyone waits for. In Cologne it begins on Weiberfastnacht, Thursday 4 February 2027, peaks with the big Rosenmontag parade on Monday 8 February 2027 and ends on Ash Wednesday, 10 February 2027.

Why it's the friendliest time to meet strangers

During carnival the usual rules of a German night out loosen up. People talk to whoever is next to them, groups merge, and nobody needs an excuse to say hello. A costume is an icebreaker in itself: asking someone what they're dressed as is the easiest opening line of the year.

In Cologne you'll hear about the Bützchen, the local word for a quick, friendly kiss on the cheek. It's an old carnival tradition, but it's a gesture between people who are both happy with it, never something you take for granted. Ask, read the situation, and accept a smile or a high five just as happily. A no is a no, costume or not.

A few other things you'll see: on Weiberfastnacht, women traditionally cut off men's ties, so leave your favourite one at home. People shout Kölle Alaaf in Cologne and Helau in Düsseldorf, Mainz and Frankfurt (don't mix them up, locals notice). At the Cologne parades the floats throw sweets, called Kamelle, into the crowd.

What to wear

You don't need an expensive costume. Plenty of people wear a simple theme: a onesie, a painted face, a funny hat, a clown nose. What matters is that you're dressed up at all; in plain clothes you'll feel more like a spectator. In February it's cold and often wet, so plan layers under the costume, comfortable shoes you don't mind getting dirty, and a small bag with your phone, keys, ID, some cash and a power bank.

Going solo or with a group

Carnival is one of the few nights where going alone is completely normal. Everyone is outside, everyone is talking, and joining a group singing in front of a pub is welcome. If you go solo, pick a busy, central area and stay there for a while instead of wandering. You'll start recognising faces and get pulled into conversations.

With a group, agree on a meeting point before you start, because it is hard to find each other by phone in loud, packed streets. Big groups often split up during the day, and that's fine. Many people meet someone new exactly that way.

Safety and consent

• Consent first. Costumes and a party mood never replace a clear yes. That goes for a Bützchen, a hug or a dance.
• Pace yourself. Carnival days start early and end late. Drink water between rounds and eat something.
• Keep your drink with you and don't accept open drinks from strangers.
• Tell a friend where you are when you leave with someone new, and meet in busy public places.
• Plan the way home. In Cologne trams and light rail run through the night at weekends, and in Frankfurt the S-Bahn does too.

Cologne: the capital of carnival

Cologne is where carnival is biggest, and the city is famously chatty all year. Our guide to meeting people in Cologne says it plainly: the city is packed on 11 November and during carnival, it's the friendliest time of the year, and you should book tables early.

The traditional brewery pubs are the classic starting point. At FRÜH am Dom next to the cathedral and Brauhaus Päffgen in the Friesenviertel, you share long tables with strangers, and the waiters (Köbes) keep bringing small glasses of Kölsch until you put your beer mat on top. Beyond the old town, people celebrate in the Zülpicher Viertel, the Belgian Quarter and Ehrenfeld.

Met someone and want a quieter second meeting after the season? Our Cologne date spots guide has ideas like the Rheinboulevard steps in Deutz, with a view of the cathedral at sunset. More about going out in the city on our Cologne page.

Frankfurt: Fastnacht with apple wine

Frankfurt celebrates Fastnacht and greets it with Helau. The big city parade, organised by the Großer Rat, the umbrella group of the local carnival clubs, runs through the centre on carnival Sunday. On carnival Tuesday the district of Heddernheim, nicknamed Klaa Paris, holds its own parade, which many people consider the highlight of Frankfurt's Fastnacht.

The easiest place to make friends in Frankfurt is an apple wine tavern. Our guide to meeting people in Frankfurt recommends Apfelwein Wagner in Sachsenhausen, where sharing a long table with strangers is part of the custom. Just ask if the seats are free. For a calmer meeting afterwards, see the Frankfurt date spots guide, or our Frankfurt page.

Düsseldorf and Mainz

Both cities open the season at 11:11 on 11 November too. In Düsseldorf, the Hoppeditz, the city's carnival jester, wakes up on the Marktplatz in front of the town hall. In Mainz, the crowd gathers on Schillerplatz, where the carnival constitution is read out, and on Rosenmontag the parade winds through the old town.

Wherever you go, a bit of local knowledge helps. Our page on dating culture in Germany explains what's normal on a first date, from splitting the bill to being on time.

How YesTonite helps during carnival

The streets are full, but you can't tell who is actually up for meeting someone new. That's what YesTonite is for.

• Out tonight. Switch on the green dot and people nearby see that you're out too. It turns off by itself the next morning.
• One message. No matching, no waiting. You see a photo, an age and what someone is into tonight, and your first message opens the chat. Say where you are and what you're dressed as.
• Events. Any member can host an event, like meeting up before the parade or a pub crawl through the old town. Open events you join right away; for closed ones you ask for a spot, and only guests see the address.
• Here now. In bars that take part, scan the Here now QR code and see who in the room is open to meeting people.

YesTonite is free, for people 18 and over, and available in 44 languages, so newcomers and visitors can join in too. Switch on the green dot on 11.11, and see who else is out.