The Monday
Monday Afternoon
The Afternoon Parade
On Monday afternoon the parade or ‘Cortege’ takes place. The ‘Cortege’ is carried out through the Fasnacht Committee and starts at 1:30 pm. In this parade the ‘Gugge Music’ bands perform as well as the Cliques. In addition other groups as ‘Chaisen’, ‘Wagen’ and ‘Einzelmaske’ take part. The ‘Cortege‘ lasts until 6 pm.
Route
Those who take part in the ‘Cortege’ follow a pre-planned route. There is no specified starting place and there are no agreed formations which the groups follow.
Start
The Fasnacht Committee creates various starting points from which the various groups can begin the parade. Once the groups begin the parade they are free to stop and take a break before continuing and passing the allotted ‘control points’ given by the Fasnacht Committee.
Subject
It is in the ‘Cortege’ that the groups present their chosen Subject. The costumes, masks (known as ‘Larve’) and other components reflect the given subject the group has chosen to focus on. It is the cliques that engage with and provide the most detailed exhibition of their subject in the parade. All of the various components together create the so called ‘Cliquenzug’.
Components of a ‘Cliquenzug’
Vorreiter
In very few Cliques ‘Vorreiter’, which translated means riders who ride ahead, lead the ‘Cliquenzug’ (nowadays practically abolished due to animal welfare).
Vortrab
Is a costumed individual who clears the way for his clique. The ‘Vortrab’ is also in costume but does not play an instrument. During the afternoon parade the ‘Vortrab’ hands out the ‘Zeedel’ which refer to the paper leaflets on which the groups theme is written about.
Zeedel
These are leaflets which are usually in a long, narrow format and are written in ‘Basel dialect’ and in satirical verses.
Requisit
This is a prop which is usually mounted on a cart that one of the ‘Vortrab’ pulls along during the parade. The construction usually adds to, or further enhances the subject/theme of the clique.
Lantern
The lantern follows the ‘Vortrab’. It is the showpiece and illustrates the cliques theme in detail. The illustrations are highlighted with satirical verses and are usually painted by an artist or amateur. The laterns are carried by appointed lantern carriers on their shoulders or are pulled by a wagon. They can be as big as two to three meters high and can be viewed on Fasnacht Tuesday at Münsterplatz.
Music
The musicians come after the Lantern. The music is played by and comprised of flutists, Drum major and drummers. The Drum major dictates which march pieces will be played and conducts the drummers following him with his stick. The mask of the drum major tends to be bigger than those of the other members of the clique. The reason for that is his key role in representing the subject or theme the clique is portraying.
Wagon
The wagons are pulled by vehicles and are filled with flowers, confetti and candy. Wagons are only used in the afternoon parade (‘Cortege’) and are usually built and decorated by the members of the Cliques using them.
It may be that one of the components is missing. This depends on the capabilities of a clique.
Fasnacht Guides
An official guide from the Fasnacht Committee is in charge of providing information concerning the participating cliques and their subjects. This ‘Fasnacht guide’ can be found at the bookshop Bider & Tanner and at all hotspots of the Fasnacht Commitee at Barfüsserplatz, Claraplatz or Marktplatz.
‘Wild’ Units
Not all groups take part in the organised parade. Therefore they are also known as ‘wild’ units. These groups ‘go it alone’ and do not follow any prescribed route. Instead they begin later in the afternoon. This late start can be attributed to their participation in the ‘Morgenstreich’ in which they marched later into the morning.
‘Wild’ Gugge Music Groups
There are also ‘Gugge Music’ groups who perform spontaneously. These groups tend to be much smaller and only play in the evening.
Visitors
Many of the visitors tend to stand on the bridges (Mittlere Brücke, Wettsteinbrücke). These bridges offer visitors a beautiful place from which they can see the old city and the Rhein. Other areas of the city which are worth watching the parade from are: Barfüsserplatz, Marktplatz, Wettsteinsplatz and Steinenberg.
