I've looked to see if you can get organised tours so that you don't miss any events. But it is the same in most places (I looked at Cologne and Venice). There don't seem to be any convenient packages. Accommodation should be booked well in advance. Perhaps that would be a new idea for some enterprising tour companies: tours including accommodation, tickets to events, buses to see the big parades and costume hire.
As it seems the only way at the moment would be to organise it yourself, with some planning you can make a full weekend of it.
Street parades can be found in the local press. Balls and parties (usually fancy dress) are expensive, often exclusive, very loud and much of the entertainment is spoken. They are usually run by the local Karnevalverein (every town has its own carnival organisation, usually with a nickname relating to a historic so aspect of the town). Tickets for these must be booked in advance. But otherwise you have to find your own way around and it is best in a group.
In Germany, Prunksitzungen are very popular. The most famous are televised nationwide and suddenly the Germans in protestant areas in the North discover that it's That Time of Year again .These are variety shows and can include
- Büttenreden:
Speeches, often in dialect, in rhyming couplets, with political or controversial content, but very clever and very funny if you can understand the dialect and know enough about local political affairs.
- Tanzmariechen:
Young children dancing in formation, dressed in uniforms which were originally a parody of the Napoleonic armies who were often a subject of ridicule. The dances are every bit as demanding as American cheerleader sequences.
- Brass bands
- Other comic and musical acts, or commuters etc as in a variety show anywhere.
- Communal singing, which again is best if you know the songs, but the fun is contagious, and even hardened party poopers will join in.
Each town has its Elferrat - Council of Eleven. These chaps are usually sat at the back of the stage along a long table in their jaunty jackets and ridiculous hats.
In fact the number eleven is very significant throughout. Possibly representing the apostles minus Judas Iscariot but that is just a theory of mine.
The whole thing starts at 11:11 on the 11th November.
All subsequent events start at 11 minutes past the hour (the parade in our town starts today at 14:11h).
Eleventh anniversaries and multiples thereof are celebrated rather than "round" numbers.
On Ash Wednesday, people get together for lunch of salted herrings and potato salad as a hangover cure.
Traditionally, the sombre days of Kent then follow, starting with mass on the Wednesday evening where the repentant sinners receive the ash cross on their forehead.
I could go on, but those are the main points at least in this part of the world.
