Räppli Are in the Air Again
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APASSIONATA • WINE SHIP • BASELWORLD • GARBAGE & RECYCLING • EASTER CAMPS Volume 5 Issue 6 CHF 6 6 A Monthly Guide to Living in Basel March 2017 Räppli Are in the Air Again Psychic Crisis? Mom and Dad – please don’t forget: the new semester has begun. Find a suitable treatment in English at: A class “taster” visit is always gratis. Privatklinik Liestal, T +41 61 553 56 56 Come along and join the fun! www.kidsmusic.ch www.pbl.ch 2 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers, The beginning of March this year is dominated by what many Baslers con- sider the most important event of the year—Fasnacht! Participants have March 2017 Volume 5 Issue 6 been preparing for this 3-day carnival for nearly a year, creating their masks, costumes, and large portable lanterns and rehearsing their songs. TABLE OF CONTENTS If you want to make the most of your Fasnacht experience, start out with a trip to Liestal on Sunday evening to witness their fiery “Chienbäse” pa- rade. It is certainly one of the most unique traditions and you need to see Feature Event: Fasnacht 4–6 it to believe it! Then, a few short hours later, drag yourself out of bed in the wee hours of Monday morning to be in town for the beginning of Fasnacht Basel Traditions: Behind the Fasnacht Mask 7 when the clock strikes 4:00. Also, be sure to watch the main parade at least once and take a stroll through the inner city on Tuesday night to ex- perience the concerts and lantern exhibit and bask in the most interesting Events in Basel: March 2017 8–11 of atmospheres. And when it’s all done, if you feel you haven’t heard enough piccolos and drums for this year, come into town on the following three Sundays, when the Fasnacht groups mark the close of the Fasnacht sea- Fun Outings: Beyond Basel 12–13 son by marching rather solemnly through town (without their costumes) and playing their instruments for the last times. Turn the page to find de- Markets and Fairs 14–15 tailed information on the “what, when, and where” of Fasnacht, and get an inside peek of what it is like to be a participant with “Behind the Fasnacht Mask.” Sports and Recreation 16–17 The end of the month brings us Basel’s most important economic event— BASELWORLD, the world’s biggest watch and jewelry show that will bring Calendar: March 2017 18–19 over 150,000 visitors into the city. Expect heavy traffic, hotel boats, crowds of people, packed night clubs, and waiting lines at most bars and restau- rants. In addition to the watch and jewelry fair, there are many other mar- Information Desk: Garbage and Recycling in Basel 20–22 kets in March, specializing in everything from vinyl records and wild garlic, to aviation collectibles and craft materials. Special Feature: Easter Camps 23 For the younger crowd, there are many events for all age groups, including magic shows, children’s and puppet theater, a musical theater for babies, family musicals, concerts, and a spectacular horse show. And while the Workshops, Tours, and Education 24–26 young-at-heart can explore the local music scene at Clubfestival BScene, there is also a wide variety of entertainment ranging from opera, theater, Did You Know? 27 ballet, comedy, musical theater, concerts of all kinds, and a nature film festival, to dance parties, whisky and bourbon tasting, and a four-day Swiss wine event on a ship docked at Schifflände—be sure to read wine expert Entertainment: Night on the Town 28–35 Tim Magnus’ article on Swiss wines to make the most of this event. Also look inside for a list of camps to keep your kids busy during the Easter Ticket Office: Get Your Tickets Now! back page break and check out this month’s Information Desk to learn everything you’ve ever wanted/needed to know about the complex topic of garbage and recycling in Switzerland. Mark Your Calendar: April 2017 back page Wishing you a great start to spring—and don’t forget to set your clocks forward for the start of daylight savings time on March 30! Christine Basel Life Magazine Staff: COVER: One of the most characteristic figures of the Basel Fasnacht is the “Waggis,” who orig- Editor-in-Chief: inally was supposed to represent an Alsatian Christine Pesold farmer. He traditionally wears a blue shirt, white Advertising & Subscription Manager / Editor: pants, red neckerchief, and wooden shoes, and Susanne Hiller the traditional mask has yellow hair made from bast fibers and a large red nose. While you will Design & Print: see many variations on this theme, the simple Schwabe AG clothes, bast-fiber hair, and grotesquely enlarged For more information about subscribing or advertising – please contact us: nose remain. The Waggis are beloved by the kids for the candy, fruit, or flowers they throw to the info basellife.com spectators, but they may also dump a whole bag www.facebook.com/basellifemagazine of Räppli (confetti) on unsuspecting victims and www.basellife.com stuff it in their clothes. BASEL LIFE MAGAZINE / BASEL FAMILY GmbH © Copyright 2017. All rights reserved. It is our goal to provide valuable, timely information to our readers. The opinions expressed in the articles in this magazine are those of the contributing authors and do not reflect those of other members of the editorial staff and of any organizations or agencies distributing this magazine. Though we make every attempt to provide accurate information, we cannot be held respon- sible if any event is cancelled, postponed, or modified. We encourage readers to contact the event organizers or their websites to obtain the most current event information. Please note: No part of this periodical may be duplicated in any fashion, or redistributed in any written language, without permission from the executive staff at Basel Family GmbH. If you have any questions, contact Basel Family GmbH staff at: info basellife.com. photo credit: © anne kohler (cover); © john varaklis March 2017 3 Feature Event Fasnacht March 6–9 Carnival, a colorful and festive tradition that brings people together in the streets to eat, drink, dance, celebrate life, and release some inhibitions, is celebrated in many countries around the world. Known as carnival in Italian/Spanish-speaking countries, Mardi Gras in French-speaking coun- tries, and Fasching in some German-speaking countries, this most important event is known as Fasnacht in German-speaking Switzerland. De- scribed by many Baslers as the “drei scheenschte Dääg” (the three most wonderful days), the Basel Fasnacht has certain characteristics that you won’t find anywhere else. For a 72-hour period, from 04:00 on a Monday morning to 04:00 on a Thursday morning, normal life seems to be sus- pended and strange figures, strange music, and tons of confetti (locally known as “Räppli”) are everywhere. Baslers come out of their private spheres, call each other by first name, and generally say what they think—it is an interesting mix of “joie de vivre,” melancholy, military-style parades, and cynical criticism—a strange kind of organized chaos. It is definitely an event that needs to be experienced at least once! Here is a schedule and description of the various events to enjoy this Fasnacht. Schedule of Fasnacht Events Day Time Event Sunday, February 19 and 26, All day Walking rehearsals for the musicians of the Fasnacht groups (“Cliques” and March 5 “Guggemusik” groups) in parks and wooded areas around Basel Thursday, February 23 17:00 School children’s Fasnacht parade through Basel Monday, March 6 04:00–sunrise Morgenstreich (beginning of Fasnacht 2017) Monday, March 6 From 13:30 Cortège (parade with cliques, Guggemusik groups, and floats) Monday, March 6 Evening Schnitzelbänk Tuesday, March 7 From around 13:00 Kinderfasnacht (children’s carnival) Tuesday, March 7 From dusk to morning Lantern exhibit at Münsterplatz Tuesday, March 7 From dusk to morning Exhibit of floats and props at Kaserne Tuesday, March 7 19:30–23:00 Gugge concerts at Marktplatz, Barfüsserplatz, and Claraplatz Wednesday, March 8 From 13:30 Cortège (parade) Thursday, March 9 04:00 Endstreich (end of Fasnacht 2017) Sunday, March 12, 19, and 26 16:00–22:00 “Bummelsonntage” (strolling Sundays) 4 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com Morgenstreich: It all starts early on Monday morning, when the bells of St. Martin’s church strike 4 o’clock and all the lights in the center of Basel go out. “Morgenstreich,” as it is called, is a parade of the “cliques” (Fasnacht groups) wandering through the darkened town with their newly unveiled lanterns to the sounds of piccolos and drums until dawn. Participants wear smaller lanterns on their heads and play a repertoire of traditional Morgenstreich tunes. They all wear different costumes and masks, and as the only lights are those of the lanterns, it is quite a beautiful event. The main streets of town are extremely crowded with thousands of spectators from all over, but are the best places to see the large lanterns. The smaller streets and alleys of the old town (like those behind Marktplatz) are less crowded and hauntingly echo the sounds of the music off the old buildings. If you need to warm up, several baker- ies and cafes will open to serve hot drinks and traditional Fasnacht foods (flour soup, onion pies, and a type of pretzel with caraway seeds) during these early morning hours. As the businesses are not supposed to have lights on to maintain the darkness, those that are open tend to have blackened the windows, so be sure to check the doors to see if they are open.