Event

Carnival 2026

Carnival in Switzerland is strongly local. Basel, Lucerne, Solothurn, Catholic regions and schools can have very different dates and routines.

Answer

When is it?

Carnival 2026 includes these dates: Dirty Thursday: ; Shrove Monday: ; Basel Carnival: ; Ash Wednesday: . Not a nationwide public holiday. Local schools, municipalities, clubs or employers can have their own arrangements. The canton decides holiday and school consequences; the recurring rule supplies the date.

Status
Past

Carnival is already over for this year.

Exact dates

Carnival 2026

All events
Dirty Thursday Local custom

Important in many carnival towns; exact dates need a local check.

Shrove Monday Custom

Not a nationwide public holiday, but locally relevant for parades, school and transit.

Basel Carnival Basel

Starts on the Monday after Ash Wednesday; especially relevant for Basel.

Ash Wednesday Lent

Church-calendar marker; not a nationwide day off.

Planning impact

Swiss carnival is primarily a local custom date.

Check city, canton, school, transit, parades and closures locally. A nationwide answer is rarely useful for Swiss carnival. Compare the affected canton before booking leave or childcare.

School

Check local school rules

School-free afternoons, parades or childcare often depend on municipality, school and local carnival date.

Traffic

Check transit and closures

Basel, Lucerne, Solothurn and other carnival towns can strongly affect transit, city centres and getting home.

Work

No automatic leave

Carnival does not create a nationwide day off. Time off comes from canton, municipality, employer, school or holiday leave.

Planning

Choose the region first

Morgestraich, parades, school breaks and local customs do not fall on the same dates everywhere.

Related planning

Open the right calendar view

Not a nationwide public holiday. Local schools, municipalities, clubs or employers can have their own arrangements. Compare the affected canton before booking leave or childcare.

FAQ

Common questions about carnival

Short answers about date, status and planning impact.

Is carnival a public holiday?

Not nationwide. Canton, municipality, school and employer are decisive.

Why is Basel important separately?

Basel Carnival starts on the Monday after Ash Wednesday, so it differs from many other carnival dates.

What should be checked locally?

Parades, transit, closures, school, childcare, start times and getting home.

Data basis

Recurring date rule, legal status separated

Swiss carnival is primarily a local custom date. The canton decides holiday and school consequences; the recurring rule supplies the date.

Labour Act Art. 20a EDK holiday calendar How we maintain this data