NASSEREITHER SCHELLERLAUFEN

One of the few places in Tyrol in which the traditional old Fasnacht carnival customs are still kept alive today is Nassereith, in the Tyrolean uplands. This old rite holds the entire village under its spell for the whole week and transforms the small Tyrolean community into a carnival stronghold.

The village follows a centuries-old, almost mystical tradition every three years: the Nassereith “Schellerlaufen” pageant, probably the most flamboyant Fasnacht celebration in the entire Alpine region.

An old local custom

The course of the Nassereith Schellerlaufen pageant is set out very precisely by clearly defined rules that have been passed down over hundreds of years. The focus of the Schellerlaufen is the triumph of spring over winter, which is embodied in the figures of the Bear and Bear Beaters.

Every great Tyrolean Fasnacht carnival has its own unique features: the Nassereith Schellerlaufen pageant, as well as its blaze of colours, is especially known for the incomparable and expressive wooden masks made by local artists.
 

The blaze of colours of the Nassereith Carnival

are reflected in the silk garments and costumes of the "beautiful trains" consisting of a ringer, jumper, sweeper, sprayer, sacker, smacker and a bucket maid (Scheller, Roller, Kehrer, Spritzer, Sackner, Schnöller and Kübelemaje). Many of these handcrafted and elaborately embroidered carnival garments are on display for your viewing pleasure in our exhibition.

As well as the main Nassereith carnival masks, witches, charnel houses, elaborately designed floats, and numerous other traditional masks and figures make this an unforgettable experience in Nassereith.

Since September 2012, the "Nassereither Schellerlaufen" - intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO!