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Munich’s Schäfflertanz Returns as 2026 Season Opens at Marienplatz

The troupe plans roughly 450 appearances through February 17 to underscore the ritual’s role in civic morale.

Overview

  • The centuries-old cooper’s dance launched on Epiphany at Marienplatz, where Munich deputy mayor Verena Dietl attended and called it a symbol of the city’s joie de vivre.
  • Daily performances are set at rotating locations across Munich through February 17, with appearances spanning public squares, schools and community venues.
  • Association board member Christoph Saur says about 25 active dancers, nearly 40 including substitutes, will give roughly 450 shows by Shrove Tuesday.
  • Several dancers are trained coopers, including four working Fassmacher and two apprentices from the Munich firm Fassfabrik Wilhelm Schmid.
  • The tradition dates to 1517 and usually runs on a seven-year cycle, with an additional season held in 2022 to encourage the public during the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.