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ItalianoUpdated 04.10.2022
Originality and closeness to nature - this characterises the outdoor region of Imst in a special way. The change of seasons is deeply rooted in the customs of the people of Imst. When community and the cultivation of old traditions unite in the most wonderful way, a time-honoured rite is upon us: the carnival. All guests can already look forward to the next Buabefasnacht in Imst on 5 February and the Schellerlaufen in Nassereith on 12 February.
Carnival is more than just a cultural asset. It creates identity and togetherness for the local population, is an expression of communal experience together with guests and visitors to the region, and also has a special status: in 2010, UNESCO even declared the Imst Schemenlaufen and the Nassereith Schellerlaufen to be intangible cultural heritage.
In the Tyrolean Oberland, this carnival is an unparalleled tradition: There have been reports of carnival customs in Tyrol since the late Middle Ages. Since the 16th century, there has been an accumulation of documentary evidence, most of which came from opponents of the carnival who wanted to suppress or even ban it. The well-known Swabian preacher Abraham a Santa Clara also commented on the Imst carnival in the 17th century: "In various places - including here - it is the custom for citizens and other common people to go on a "Schemenlaufen" on one day during the silly and furious "Faßnachtszeit". Well, they may be forgiven (...), but the Schemenlaufen shall not be a Schelmenlaufen, otherwise into the Kotter with you, you tobacco brothers and wine tappers!"
What exactly makes the Imster Buabefasnacht on 5 February so special is summed up by Manfred Waltner, an enthusiastic Imst Fasnacht enthusiast: "It's the fact that this Fasnacht runs in exactly the same way as the well-known Schemenlaufen of the adults: The larvae and costumes, the strenuous movements and dances of the participants, their enthusiasm and their passion, which is in no way inferior to that of the great Fasnachtler - only it is boys aged between six and 15 who act as participants in this custom, making it literally unique." The Schemenlaufen for adults takes place every four years and therefore not again until 4 February 2024.
"It's the boys themselves that make your heart soar! As difficult as it usually is these days to get young people excited about old traditions, the clocks go differently at the Buabefasnacht. The dedication, the enthusiasm, the zeal with which they devote themselves to Fasnacht, all these things are unparalleled. They say that the people of Imst have carnival in their blood - perhaps there really is something like a carnival genetic predisposition here," says Manfred Waltner, who has been deputy chairman of the Imst carnival committee for 22 years.
You can find more information about the outdoor region of Imst on our website.
Experience the fascination of carnival in the Outdoor Region Imst: Everything about holidays and carnival.
Learn more about the Buabefasnacht in Imst and the Schellerlaufen in Nassereith.
Plan your holiday in the Outdoor Region Imst and benefit from the special carnival packages: Imst Buabefasnacht, Nassereith Schellerlaufen