When Winter goes colorful

Welcome to Tyrol’s fifth season! Tyrolean Carnival is about far more than dressing up — it is a centuries-old celebration of life and the eternal struggle between winter and spring, light and darkness, good and evil.

While the season traditionally begins on November 11th, the main celebrations take place between Shrove Thursday (12 February 2026) and Ash Wednesday (18 February 2026), with one clear mission: to finally chase winter away before spring arrives on March 20th.

And what’s the best way to experience it all? With the SKI plus CITY Pass Stubai Innsbruck. Hit the slopes in the morning, then dive straight into the carnival celebrations in the afternoon. Ski PLUS City. Sport PLUS Spectacle. Just don’t forget your costume.

Tyrolean Carnival is a living cultural heritage. Behind every mask and costume lies centuries of ritual — celebrating life, chasing winter away and welcoming spring.

Some of the unforgettable traditional figures you’ll meet:

• Zaggeler: Light or dark blue costumes with colorful patches and bells, black rooster feathers and a rabbit fur headdress. Their masks and movements are more serious than the summer figures.
• Fleckler: Autumn figures inspired by historic tyrolian village traditions, wearing fox fur headdresses resembling the Zaggeler.
• Zottler: The wildest winter representatives, decorated with fox and peacock feathers and hand-tufted fringes in green, yellow, red and blue. Their movements follow rough, dynamic rhythms.
• The Tuxer and Schemenläufer: Elegant, artistic and elaborately decorated, representing the delicate balance between order and chaos.
• The Bear and the Bear Leader: One of the oldest Alpine carnival symbols. When the bear is “tamed,” spring can finally begin.

Alongside these traditional figures, modern Tyrolean Carnival brings humor, satire and playful creativity to the streets. Families, locals and visitors celebrate together, blending ritual, spectacle and pure joy.

Tyrolean Carnival in the Innsbruck and Stubai Valley region is full of lively and colorful events for all ages.

Highlights in early 2026 include:

• 24 January: Masked Ball in Patsch, community hall, 8:30 PM
• 29 January, 5 & 12 February: Laniger Schaug’n in Axams, parish hall, 7:00 PM
• 12 February: Schellenschlagen & Kiagras Mahn in Lans, village center, 3:00 PM
• 12 February: Axamer Wampelerreiten, starting at Dorfplatz, 1:00 PM
• 12 February: Patscher Schellenschlagerinnen, Patsch, town center, 2:00 PM
• 12 February: Unsinniger Maskenball, Neustift Recreation Center, 8:00 PM
• 14 February: Carnival at Muttereralm, Mutters, mountain station, 2:00 PM
• 15 February: Fasching on the Nordkette, with Clown Pepe, DJ Andinho, face painting, airbrush tattoos and the Mühlauer Muller, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• 17 February: KOFEL Family Carnival, Igls, Patscherkofel, 12:00 PM
• 17 February: BIG RONS’S FASCHINGSFEST, Schlick2000
• 17 February: Children’s Carnival Party, Fulpmes Ice Rink, 3:30 PM
• 17 February: Family Carnival, Innsbruck, Maria-Theresien-Straße, 1:00 PM

These events showcase traditional costumes, masks, music and playful performances, giving families and visitors a unique chance to experience Tyrolean Carnival up close — from lively parades, through masked balls, to amazing Carnival events in the Alps themselves.

While Tyrolean Carnival is celebrated both in the city and in the mountains, the mountains also offer crisp mornings on perfectly groomed slopes, soft snow in the afternoon, terraces calling for relaxing lunch breaks, and breathtaking panoramas that make every day unforgettable.

Top ski highlights of the region include:

• Axamer Lizum: Panoramic sun terrace at Hoadl-Haus with amazing views. The unique mountain scenery can be best enjoyed from the many complimentary sun loungers.
• Kühtai: Austria’s highest ski area, with sunny south-facing slopes in the morning and north-facing black runs in the afternoon.
• Nordkette: Restaurant Seegrube offers sun-soaked skiing with stunning mountain panoramas and quick access back to Innsbruck city life.
• Patscherkofel: Sunny slopes and lively mountain bars on Innsbruck’s home mountain, with breathtaking sunsets that make the after-ski sundowner unforgettable.
• Stubai Glacier: Perfectly groomed slopes, the Top of Tyrol summit platform, and sunny terraces like the Schneekristall Pavillon provide the perfect setting for panoramic views and refreshing drinks high in the Alps. Insider: The SKI & BEATS event will take place here on March 14 – a sundowner experience with live saxophone and DJ. And: On April 18, the second edition of the former “Wilde Grube Ride” will take place at the Stubai Glacier under its new name, STUBAI WILD RIDE, but with the same motto, “Epic Rides. Epic Valley.” – the ultimate challenge on one of the most spectacular and longest giant slalom courses in the Alps!
• Schlick 2000: Sun-drenched, family-friendly slopes, Ski & BBQ Event (14 & 15 March 2026) at the Panorama Restaurant Kreuzjoch, 2,136 meters above. Worth it!

Spring skiing around Innsbruck and the Stubai Valley isn’t just about the slopes — it’s about sun, views, mountains and unforgettable moments, all easily accessible with your SKI plus CITY Pass Stubai Innsbruck. One Pass. Two Worlds. Endless Options.

The SKI plus CITY Pass Stubai Innsbruck connects it all. Ski in the morning. Tyrolean Carnival in the afternoon. Enjoy a museum, café or StuBay in the evening. Tomorrow? Try a different ski area. When winter becomes a lifestyle. Tyrolean Carnival brings the colors. Spring skiing brings the light. Innsbruck and the Stubai Valley bring the contrast. And the SKI plus CITY Pass Stubai Innsbruck brings it all together. Winter isn’t over — it’s dancing. And you?