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Presentation of the carnival concept: tickets should cost 11.11 euros
Photo: BEAUTIFUL SPORTS / Wunderl / imago images / Beautiful Sports
The celebrations for Shrove Monday will take place in Cologne this year at the RheinEnergie Stadium, home of 1. FC Köln.
This was announced by the Cologne Carnival Festival Committee on Saturday.
Afterwards, the train's 22 so-called parody wagons, "which denounce grievances and hold up a mirror to society and politics," will be exhibited in the city center.
A classic Shrove Monday parade across the city with hundreds of thousands of visitors is "unfortunately still not possible this year due to the pandemic," the organizers said.
But Corona makes you inventive.
According to the information, around 4700 participants from 65 carnival societies will present floats, dance groups and marching bands to visitors in the stadium.
The train path in the RheinEnergie Stadium is only around 300 meters long.
Bläck Fööss, one of Cologne's most famous music groups, will be on stage.
8800 spectators are allowed
8,800 visitors can follow the unusual train on site in the stadium grandstands, with the rules of a 2G Plus event.
Visitors must therefore be fully vaccinated or recovered and additionally either boosted or currently tested.
According to the »Rheinische Post«, masks are also compulsory in the stands.
After the small parade, the parody wagons are to be exhibited for 24 hours along the usual route in Cologne city center at twelve locations such as Chlodwigplatz and Heumarkt.
During that period of time, you want to avoid crowds in front of the individual cars, says train manager Holger Kirsch.
According to him, the cars will be illuminated at night and guarded around the clock.
Advance sales for the event in the stadium, known as Shrove Monday, which takes place on February 28, will start at the end of next week on the organizers' website.
Tickets cost 11.11 euros.
WDR will broadcast the celebration live.
mbo/AFP