Every February, confetti, brass bands and floats take over the centre of Mulhouse. Organised by the Groupement des Sociétés Mulhousiennes réunies, the Mulhouse Carnival celebrated its 73rd edition in 2026, on the theme "La fête des fous" (the Feast of Fools). Since 2025, it has been back in the city centre, a few minutes from our crêperie.

When does the Carnival take place?

Mulhouse follows the Rhineland carnival calendar, like Freiburg and Basel: the Mulhouse Carnival is held the week before the Basel Fasnacht, usually in mid-February. In 2026, it ran from Wednesday 18 to Sunday 22 February.

Carnival 2027: the official dates will be announced a few weeks before the event, on carnaval-mulhouse.com. The 2027 princely court will be presented on 11 November 2026, at 11:11.

A typical programme

Based on the 2026 edition:

Wednesday: children's day, free, with games, confetti battles and a children's parade.
Friday evening: the arrival of Prince Carnival, by boat, followed by his parade to Place de la Réunion, where the mayor hands him the keys to the city. Then a confetti battle.
Saturday afternoon: the Waggis and float parades in the city centre, followed by the "Nuit des fous" (Night of Fools).
Sunday afternoon: the International Cavalcade, the big parade, starting from Place de la Réunion. In 2026, it brought together 35 floats and more than 2,000 participants.

The parades are free. The evening events in the marquee require the carnival badge or medal.

The route

The cavalcade crosses the historic centre over about 2 km: Place des Victoires, rue du Sauvage, rue Franklin, rue Henriette and Place de la Réunion. According to the organiser, the Carnival draws around 150,000 spectators over three days.

Our practical tips

Come by tram: the centre is very busy during the parades. If you drive, use the P+Tram park-and-ride car parks (€2 including the return tram trip for everyone in the car). All our tips are in the Mulhouse parking guide.
Arrive early to find a good spot along the route, especially on Place de la Réunion.
Plan for afterwards: a carnival works up an appetite!

A crêpe between parades

At 14 rue des Tondeurs, a stone's throw from Place de la Réunion, the Crampous Mad crêperie is ideally placed for a galette before the cavalcade or a crêpe with hot chocolate after the confetti battles. Non-stop service from Tuesday to Saturday. See the menu · Book a table

2026 programme based on information from the City of Mulhouse, m2A and the organiser. The programme varies from year to year: check carnaval-mulhouse.com before you come.