Reveller in Trump mask kicks off Cologne Carnival season at cathedral steps
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Thousands of revellers gathered in Cologne, western Germany, to inaugurate the traditional Carnival season on Nov.11.
- Known locally as the "fifth season," festivities run from Nov. 11 through Ash Wednesday of the following year.
A reveller wearing a mask depicting US President Donald Trump cheered on the steps of Cologne Cathedral on Wednesday morning, greeting crowds ahead of the traditional launch of the annual Carnival season in western Germany.
Positioned directly in front of the gothic cathedral, the reveller was accompanied by a group of youths dressed in costumes styled after the popular German juice drink Capri-Sun.
In line with centuries-old tradition, Cologne's Carnival, celebrated locally as the "fifth season", opened on Nov. 11 at exactly 11:11 a.m. The early-season launch marks the countdown to the week-long street festivities culminating in the major parades of Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) before wrapping up on Ash Wednesday.
