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Celebrating the ‘fifth season’ Swiss-style

During carnival, the photographers of the Swiss picture agency Keystone are often in action at unusual hours, documenting wild celebrations in all their local forms across the country. 

The last big event in the annual carnival calendar in the “Morgestraich” in Basel. At 4am, masked people playing piccolos and drums set off through the city. 

+ More information on Swiss customs and traditions

The collection of images presents a short – and obviously far from complete – stroll through Switzerland’s carnival traditions. Not everywhere puts on massive events – in many places carnival consists simply of smaller parties and masked get-togethers in local pubs. 

(All images: Keystone; text: Thomas Kern, swissinfo.ch)

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR