“Jecke” events
The start of the fifth season is celebrated on 11/11. at 11:11 a.m. Then, the triumvirate – the carnival prince, the farmer and the virgin – are presented to the public for the first time. During the main phase of the carnival period, from New Year’s Day to Ash Wednesday, numerous events are held around the city, with costume meetings and balls. The sessions then reach their climax with the “tolle Tage”, or “mad days” – on Fat Thursday, when the “Weiber”, or wenches, in Aachen take over the regiment, or on Tulip Sunday, when the young fairytale prince parades through the city with hundreds of children in fancy dress. Incidentally, the children’s fancy dress parade is the only one of its kind in Germany!