Ready for Rabadan?

Carnival time is upon us already. A centuries-old tradition, carnival (known as "Fasnacht" in German, "Carnaval" in French and "Carnevale" in Italian) is celebrated every year in the days leading up to Ash Wednesday, which falls on March 6th this year.

Carnival is traditionally a chance to indulge and make merry before the lean times of Lent. And while the religious significance of the festival may have diminished with time, a spirit of indulgence remains very much the order of the day with eating, drinking and partying all high on the agenda. The pounding drums of traditional ‘Guggenmusik’ bands, the elaborate costumes and the confetti-strewn parades are all part of a strong Swiss tradition albeit hardly known abroad.

Known as Rabadan (which means "noise"), Bellinzona’s carnival is the most important in the Italian-speaking canton. It all gets underway this year today when the keys of the city are handed over to "King Rabadan", who is chosen by the carnival committee to rule over the city's revellers until Tuesday March 5th.

As well as the traditional Guggenmusik, parades and children's festivities, there are also DJ sets, concerts, aperitif events and even a mass risotto-eating session on the Tuesday. Keep in mind that if you can't make it to Bellinzona, there are plenty of smaller local carnivals all over the canton which are also worth a visit.

Click here for Ramadan programme: http://www.rabadan.ch/programma/
Click here for the Ticino Carnevale calendar: Carnevale in Ticino 2019