The street carnival traditionally began with Weiberfastnacht or Old Women's Thursday. In Cologne, the triumvirate of prince, farmer and maiden let loose the jokes.
In Bonn-Beuel, the 200th anniversary of the so-called washerwomen's uprising was celebrated. For the first time this year there was a street festival on the Kölner Ringen to relieve the overcrowded student district around Zülpicher Straße. In Düsseldorf, the “Möhnen’ captured Mayor Stephan Keller (CDU), who had disguised himself as a car driver.