Fasching in Austria: A guide to the Fifth Season

Confetti, costumes, confectioneries: Every February, Austria lets loose with Fasching – the country's take on carnival – and it's quite the spectacle. Known as the 'Fifth Season', Fasching is a time for revelry, creativity and community spirit before the solemnity of Lent begins.

Across Austria, towns and villages come alive with parades, masked balls and elaborate costumes. The celebrations are deeply rooted in tradition, with some regions – particularly in western Austria – boasting centuries-old customs involving fearsome masked figures designed to drive away the winter spirits.

A highlight of Fasching in Vienna is the season of balls – the city hosts hundreds of formal dances during this period, ranging from the famous Opera Ball to more intimate guild and professional association balls. Krapfen (jam doughnuts) are the quintessential Fasching treat, sold in vast quantities in every bakery across the country.