Carnival is the biggest event of the year in Cologne. On Thursday Febuary 19th the peak of Carnival starts and ends on Ash-Wedndesday (February 25th). 3 million people will visit Cologne in this one week. On Monday the famous Cologne Rose-Monday-Parade takes place. More than 10,000 people are marching over 5 miles through the streets of Cologne - and over one million people will be in the streets on Monday to celebrate this.

Here are the fist pictures of the 2004 Cologne Carnival - just to give you an idea of what is going on here right now... and why this pin set is really a 'local thing' :-)