German Carnival & Rosenmontag Date Calculator

Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) is the climax of the Rheinland carnival and falls 48 days before Easter Sunday. The season officially begins on 11 November at 11:11 (the "fifth season"), but the street celebrations concentrate in the week before Lent: Weiberfastnacht (Fat Thursday, 52 days before Easter), Rosenmontag, and Veilchendienstag (Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday).

The tool computes Easter Sunday with the standard Gregorian algorithm for the given year, then subtracts the fixed offsets: Weiberfastnacht −52 days, Rosenmontag −48 days, Ash Wednesday −46 days. It also lists 11 November of the preceding year as the season opener.

2025: 3 March · 2026: 16 February · 2027: 8 February · 2028: 28 February. The date always lands between 2 February and 8 March.

1. Enter the year you want the carnival dates for.
2. Click Calculate to see Easter Sunday and the derived carnival dates.
3. Note Rosenmontag as the main celebration day.
4. Check Weiberfastnacht (the Thursday before) for the traditional women's carnival.
5. Remember the season symbolically opens on 11 November of the previous year.

When is Rosenmontag?

Rosenmontag is 48 days before Easter Sunday. For example, with Easter on 5 April 2026, Rosenmontag is 16 February 2026.

What is Weiberfastnacht?

Weiberfastnacht (Fat Thursday, "Women's Carnival") is 52 days before Easter – the Thursday that opens the noisy street carnival week.

When does the carnival season start?

The "fifth season" is traditionally declared on 11 November at 11:11, but the main parades and parties are in the week before Ash Wednesday.

Is Rosenmontag a public holiday?

It is a school holiday and regional day off in the Rheinland carnival strongholds (Cologne, Düsseldorf, Mainz, Bonn) but not a nationwide public holiday.

How is Easter calculated?

The tool uses the Anonymous Gregorian algorithm, the standard church formula that determines Easter Sunday for any Gregorian year.

Why do the dates move each year?

Carnival is tied to Easter, which is a movable feast based on the spring equinox and the lunar calendar, so the dates shift by up to five weeks.

This tool is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified financial professional for advice specific to your situation.

Rosenmontag is a school holiday (and often a day off work) in the Rheinland – Cologne, Düsseldorf, Mainz, Bonn.

Ash Wednesday is not a public holiday, but many regions hold Fettdonnerstag / Weiberfastnacht events instead.

The Easter-based dates move by up to five weeks between years.