Twitter
Facebook
Ramstein-Miesenbach’s highlight for this Fasching season will be its annual parade through the city Tuesday afternoon. The Bruchkatze Carnival Association sponsors the traditional parade, which is the biggest in the Westpfalz area with more than 1,600 participants.
“We got registrations from 18 carnival associations, seven music groups, 24 walking groups and 22 floats,” said Hartmut Schäffner, chief of the parade committee. “We as organizers are proud to be able to present such a great parade with participants who spent all their leisure time to create wonderful costumes and unique floats.”
Ramstein-Miesenbach’s sister city Maxéville, France, will send a float and a walking group of about 50 people.
The KMC is represented by about 250 people in walking groups and one float. The U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band will participate with 40 to 50 musicians.
“We received registrations for the Ramstein, Sembach and Vogelweh Girl Scouts, Cub Scout Pack 156 and the Ramstein High School Step Team,” said Elke Sittel from the 86th Airlift Wing Host Nation Office. “The 86th Construction and Training Squadron will join the parade on a truck with 20 people wearing Halloween masks.”
More than 48,000 promotion items including candies will be tossed to the 30,000 to 50,000 spectators. The almost two-hour long parade starts at 2 p.m. on Stutzenflurstrasse and August-Süssdorf-Strasse. Food and beverage booths will be placed throughout the 3.25 kilometer route. Residents along the route are asked to decorate their houses to support the celebration. Organizers ask parents to watch their kids, and for safety reasons, spectators shouldn’t get too close to the floats.
“I would also like to emphasize the fact that the Bruchkatze Carnival Association sponsors, organizes and finances the parade,” Mr. Schäffner said. “The sale of parade buttons for €2 from vendors on the street help us to pay the event.”
After the parade, the party will continue at the Haus des Bürgers. Spectators can get free admission to the party with the buttons.
“Local institutions such as Polizei, the volunteer fire brigade, German Red Cross, office of public order and military police support us each year and help to make the event a success,” Mr. Schäffner said.
A Fasching carnival with a merry-go-round and activity booths will be set up from Sunday through Tuesday on Marktplatz. The center of Ramstein-Miesenbach will be closed Tuesday to motorized vehicles from noon to 6 p.m., and Bahnhofstrassse will be closed until 8 p.m.
“I hope a lot of people will come to join us for this fun-filled event,” Mr. Schäffner said. “Ralau!” (the official Fasching shout in Ramstein-Miesenbach).
For more information on the 59th annual Fasching parade in Ramstein-Miesenbach, visit www.bruchkatze-ramstein.de.
