“The Rhenish Carnival (Rheinischer Karneval, mainly in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate) is famous for celebrations such as parades and costume balls. Cologne Carnival is the largest and most famous. Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz are held in the public media to be Germany’s three carnival strongholds, but carnival celebrations are also widespread elsewhere in the Rhineland“. (Wikipedia)
Thomas Shellberg 