Thousands line streets
of Mainz for Fasching festivalBy Adam Ramirez
Stars and Stripes
MAINZ,
Germany — "Helau! Helau!"
One after
another, with raised glasses and song, they screamed and greeted each other with a
boisterous "Helau!" Young, old and costumed alike took part Monday as Fasching
was in full swing in this city in central Germany.
Thousands
of revelers lined a main thoroughfare in Mainz for one of Germany’s biggest parties.
A sort of German Mardi Gras festival, revelers wear face paint and red plastic horns as
marching bands and floats cruise by.
Americans
of all ages joined in on the German party as well. Not even near-freezing temperatures and
snow on the ground could keep people away. Local police estimated a crowd of about 25,000
on hand.
The H.H.
Arnold High School marching band from Wiesbaden took part in the festivities. Pockets of
other Americans mingled along the seven-kilometer parade/party route.
The band
belted out traditional songs and laid down drumbeats for happy crowds.
Wiesbaden
resident Keith Mataranglo, owner of an American computer firm based in Germany, said he
was drawn by the festive crowds and drinks.
"We
were at the parade in Wiesbaden last night and just got into the vibe — this is a
different, bigger scene but everyone’s having a blast," he said. "They
really know how to have a good time."
Every
manner of costume and outfit was fashioned along the parade route. Candy, coloring books
and tissues were all thrown from various floats.
Some
countries call it carnival, but Germans prefer the title Fasching, as in Fastnacht
"fast night," referring to the night before fasting begins on Ash Wednesday.
Tuesday sees the final fling of fun before the 40 days of fasting for Lent.
Whatever
you call it, it’s a gala of folly and fun celebrated from the Netheralnds to Spain to
Italy.
A party
gathered near the grandstands said this fest is world class.
"I’m
all about peace man ... make love not war," said a man wearing a pink wig and
psychedelic Elvis pantsuit.
His friend,
a former Air Force member, said he discovered Fasching in 1987.
"I was
stationed in Bitburg and came and saw what a crazy good time this was," said Jay
Escude, a Dallas-based airline pilot. "This is just an amazing scene; it’s like
a European Mardi Gras. I wouldn’t miss this for the world."
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