‘Mainz bleibt Mainz’ to Continue Annual Broadcasts Through 2026 and Beyond

A renewed contract ensures the iconic German TV Fastnacht session will air on ARD and ZDF for at least four more years, with an option for two additional years.

The TV Fastnacht classic 'Mainz bleibt Mainz, wie es singt und lacht' will continue airing annually under a new contract starting in 2026.
ARD’s SWR and ZDF will alternate broadcasting the session each year on the Friday before Rosenmontag, maintaining a decades-long tradition.
The renewed agreement spans four years, with an optional two-year extension, ensuring broadcasts through at least 2030 if the option is exercised.
The program has been a staple of German television since 1955 and is widely regarded as a cultural institution of the Fastnacht season.
This year’s broadcast, produced by SWR for ARD, will air on February 28 from the Kurfürstliches Schloss in Mainz.