"Rag Carnival"

Upper Austria’s most famous carnival celebrations take place in Ebensee, a charming village in the Salzkammergut Region. The Ebensee carnival celebrations reach their high point with the traditional “Fetzenzug” rag parade on Shrove Monday.

The colorful carnival celebrations are characterized by music, dancing, the wearing of masks, masked parades and a general joie de vivre. This lively tradition has its roots in the environs of Bad Aussee. When the Ebensee Saltworks were founded in 1604, skilled workers from Aussee Area migrated to Ebensee—and brought with them the carnival celebrations. Carnival customs include elements of old peasant culture, which have been preserved and adapted to this special way which is celebrated nowadays:

The Ebensee carnival celebrations reach their high point in the last week, beginning with the Children’s Carnival Parade on Carnival Saturday, February 13, 2010. The next day, Carnival Sunday, you get to meet some crazy adults at their grand Carnival Procession.

Undisputed highlight, however, is the traditional "Fetzenzug" Rag Carnival Parade on Shrove Monday: Carnival jesters disguised in rags ("Fetzen" in German) and wooden hand-carved masks celebrate until the wee hours of Shrove Tuesday. If you haven't seen this lively pageant yet, you are strongly recommended to head to Ebensee on February 15, 2010. And don’t miss out on that fancy dressing!

On Shrove Tuesday, the kids come first again. Nuts, oranges and sweets fly through the air, and if you are lucky you get some treats. The carnival season is drawn to a close on Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 3:00pm with the "Carnival Burning Ceremony", held in deep mourning on the shores of Traunsee Lake.

Links:

Rag Carnival in Ebensee

Further Information:

Ebensee am Traunsee
Live Camera Ebensee

Urlaub in der Ferienregion Traunsee Touristboard Ferienregion Traunsee
Hauptstraße 34, 4802 Ebensee
Tel: +43 6133 8016
Fax: +43 6133 4655
Email: ebensee@traunsee.at
Homepage: http://www.traunsee.at