The Basel Carnival lasts 72 hours – from 4 am on Monday morning to 4 am in the morning of the following Thursday. The festivities are launched with the ‘Morgestraich’.
At exactly 4 am all the lights in Old Town Basel are turned off, including the streetlights. The only light remaining comes from the lanterns of the Cliques. There are two major types of lanterns, large parade lanterns that are wheel-mounted or carried by 2 to 4 people in front of the Cliques; and the head-mounted head lanterns that every participant wears. With the command ‘Morgestraich, forward march!’ from the drum majors, all Cliques begin to march and play their instruments.
The photo was taken a few seconds before 4 am. The street lights were still on.