The biggest carnival events take place in the Rhineland, with the Carnival parades in Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Mainz on Shrove Monday being by far the biggest single events. (The carnivals in the Rhineland are of the “mocking the French” variety)

The older flavour of carnival is mostly celebrated in the South with the main events taking place on Fat Thursday

Generally throughout the entire carnival season (regionally known as “The Fifth Season”), there are all sorts of carnival parties (basically dress up in some sort of costume and get drunk) and “carnival sessions” (basically big comedy/entertainment shows) with carnival speeches, often organised by carnival societies.