How to Celebrate Carnival?
By Samir Mammadov
Every February, you notice how people from the Netherlands and Germany dress up in colourful costumes, have drinks and dance in the streets. This is known as the Carnival celebration, a cultural celebration unique to the region. What is Carnival, and how is it celebrated? Let’s find out!
Background History
Carnival in the Netherlands derives from religious celebrations in Christianity, marking pre-Christian fertility festivals. It celebrates the end of winter, and the word comes from the Latin, where “Carne Vale” means “farewell to meat”, pointing to the start of Lent’s fasting time. Originally, costumes were introduced into the celebrations so that people could dress up and temporarily escape social hierarchies by disguising themselves. Later on, people modernised costume use further by adding humour and theatrical touches.
Carnival began in the Late Middle Ages and was first recorded in cities such as Den Bosch. Towards the 16th century, the celebration became less popular in northern parts due to the Protestant Reformation. Today, Carnival is mainly celebrated in Catholic-dominated southern regions, including provinces like North Brabant and Limburg, shaping today’s contemporary celebration.
How do You Celebrate?
Carnival usually happens in February. This year it was celebrated mainly on 15th to 17th of February. You can celebrate it in cities like Breda, Maastricht, Tilburg, Eindhoven and Den Bosch, where celebrations hit the streets. During the Carnival, cities became colourful chaos, full of crowds wearing colourful costumes and watching parades and concerts. As a customer, you can wear whatever you want as long as it is colourful and memorable. Costumes can range from mimicking a specific carnival theme in the city (for instance, Gròòtgragtegat in Amsterdam), cross-dressing, humorous mockery and so on. By dressing up in costumes and dancing to the lively Carnavalskrakers (also known as party songs), you can fully enter into the festive spirit.
Celebration in Different Places
This year, students from WUR celebrated Carnival in different parts of the Netherlands and beyond. A group of friends travelled from Wageningen to Breda last Sunday. It was memorable, especially when it started to snow during the party.
We had students travelling to Eindhoven to see the Lampegat Carnival Parade 2026.
Another group of WUR students travelled all the way to Germany for the Cologne Carnival, Fastelovend. As you can see, in Carnival, the parades often have political statements with freedom of expression.
Mark in your Calendar
If you missed this year’s carnival or are eager for next year’s celebration, you can start planning in advance. Firstly, pick a city – look for the distance from your house or location of convenience, and check for parades and concerts. Remember that due to Carnival, there might be delays and disruptions in public transport, especially trains, so be on the lookout.
The next step is to buy, rent, or make a costume. The theme is totally up to you, though I would recommend making it as memorable as possible. Closer to the dates, there are a lot of costumes in stores like SoLow and Action, but you can also find specific stores for costumes in most of the cities in the Netherlands. You can also buy re-used costumes in Vinted for cheaper!
Lastly, inform your friends and go out together. Celebration is much more fun if you go out with a group of friends. The more the merrier!
Last remarks
Carnival is one of the most vibrant celebrations I’ve ever seen, and it’s the perfect chance to express yourself however you want through costumes. It also gives you a better feel for Dutch culture, especially in the South. If you’re in the Netherlands, definitely check it out next time—it’s totally worth it!
Cheers,
Samir
