When do the winter farewells take place in 2026?

The main week of celebrations falls on February 16-22, 2026. This period overlaps with Chinese New Year (Year of the Horse, starting February 17), the finale of European carnivals (Venice Carnival, Cologne Carnival with Rosenmontag), Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Maslenitsa week, and Vietnamese Tet.

What do all these festivals have in common?

Despite different cultural and religious roots (lunar calendar, Christian fast, paganism), they all serve one function: the ritual banishing of winter and welcoming of spring through noise, fire (fireworks, bonfires), abundant food, and carnival processions. They all fall within the same moment of the year when winter has become unbearable and spring has not yet arrived.

Where do the most vibrant celebrations take place?

Key locations include Cologne (Germany) with its 8km Rosenmontag parade, Venice (Italy) with the Flight of the Angel, New Orleans (USA) with Mardi Gras jazz and parades, Beijing (China) with red lanterns and fireworks, Latgale (Latvia) with Maslenitsa pancakes and effigy burning, the Loetschental Valley (Switzerland) with Tschaeggaettae wooden mask processions, and San Diego (USA) with Vietnamese Tet celebrations.

What is the Chinese New Year 2026 animal?

2026 is the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) begins on February 17, 2026. Families gather to eat jiaozi dumplings shaped like ancient gold ingots, and at midnight the sky trembles with fireworks - an age-old ritual to drive away evil spirits and awaken spring.

What is Tschaeggaettae?

Tschaeggaettae is an ancient tradition in the Loetschental Valley, Switzerland. Men put on heavy wooden masks and fearsome costumes, then roam snow-covered streets with a single purpose: to chase winter away and help the sun return. It is one of the most striking and primal winter farewell rituals in Europe.

What is the significance of Maslenitsa in Latvia?

Maslenitsa in Latgale, Latvia, is a Slavic tradition of welcoming spring. During the week of February 16-22, 2026, families make golden round pancakes symbolising small suns. The week culminates with the burning of a giant straw effigy amid shouts of 'Winter, go away!' It represents the transition from darkness to light.

How does webSEOMarket use cultural knowledge in business?

webSEOMarket, with offices in Riga (Latvia) and Nanjing (China), bridges Asian and European markets through deep cultural understanding. The company's founder Stanislava believes that understanding cultures allows us to understand people more accurately, and understanding people is the key to cultural business adaptation and the creation of sustainable projects when entering international markets.

Seeing Winter Off 2026: A Global Ritual of Hope and Spring Unity of the World's Peoples

Stanislava 12 February, 2026

We are used to thinking that we are separated by seas and oceans, borders and languages. But there are moments when all these differences disappear. The week of February 16 to 22, 2026, is one of those amazing periods when the planet breathes in a single rhythm, and the boundaries between cultures become transparent.

The Planet's Carnival Mosaic

Monday, February 16: Awakening

In Cologne (Germany), the city wakes up to the ringing of bells and the heavy rhythm of drums. At 8 AM, Rosenmontag begins — a parade stretching for eight kilometers. The air smells of fresh Berliner donuts and cotton candy. Hundreds of tons of sweets are thrown into the crowd to the tireless cry of "Alaaf!". This shout is not just a greeting; it is an access code to the collective joy pulsing within every resident.

Farewell to Winter 2026: Carnivals of the World

On this very morning in Venice (Italy), silence hangs over the frozen St. Mark's Square. An actor-angel in a dazzling outfit begins their slow descent from the high bell tower. Their landing on the stones of the square is a symbolic moment when winter officially begins to retreat.

At the same time, throughout the Baltics in Slavic families, grandmothers are already busy baking pancakes. Golden, round, hot, like little suns on a frying pan. Children impatiently await the finale of the week, when a huge straw effigy will be burned to the shouts of "Winter, go away!". Here, Maslenitsa traditions are not just food, they are the call of ancestors, passed down from generation to generation.

Magic of Masks: From Alps to Balkans

In the Swiss Lötschental valley, Tschäggättä emerge from the shadows - creatures in massive wooden masks and shaggy sheepskins. They rattle heavy cowbells, shaking up the sleeping mountains. Their task is simple: to scare winter so much that it dares not return.

This primal fear and delight are shared in Bulgaria and Serbia. Bulgarian Kukeri in their incredible masks of feathers and wool dance in the streets, creating a noise that seems to be heard in the heavens. In Serbia and Macedonia, "olalii" are lit - giant bonfires over which young people jump. Fire here is the light that cleanses the earth for new life.

Czechia and Slovakia plunge into the haze of Masopust and Fašank. In Czech villages, costumed "bears" and "horses" visit every house - if the costumed character doesn't dance in the yard, there will be no harvest. In Poland, "sugar ecstasy" arrives - on Fat Thursday, the country eats millions of doughnuts with rose jam, appeasing the coming spring.

North Wind: The Baltic Way

In the Baltic states, saying goodbye to winter has its own special handwriting. In Latvia, by mid-February, the main chords of the ancient Meteņi have already faded, when Latvians competed in sledding from hills to ensure a good flax harvest. Nevertheless, the echo of this holiday is still heard at February fairs preparing Riga for the arrival of warmth.

In Lithuania, Užgavėnės rules these days. Lithuanians put on expressive wooden masks and stage a comic but furious battle between Kanapinis (the Hemp Man, symbol of Lent) and Lašininis (the Fatty Man, symbol of winter). Kanapinis's victory is inevitable - spring must come.

And in Estonia, Vastlapäev is celebrated. Estonians gather in families to taste special buns with whipped cream and pea soup, after which they hurry to the hills - because here, too, they believe in the power of a long slide, which brings luck to the whole house.

Night of Changes: 16-17 February

Beijing (China) explodes with red lanterns. Millions of families gather at the table to eat jiaozi - dumplings shaped like ancient gold ingots. At midnight, the sky shudders with fireworks: this is how the monster Nian is driven away and spring is awakened all over China.

On the same days, the lights of the Lunar New Year flash in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia - where Chinese tradition has long been woven into the pulse of modern Asian metropolises and becomes part of their own spring breath.

Parallelly, in New Orleans (USA), Bourbon Street turns into the jazz madness of Mardi Gras. Purple, green, and gold beads fly from balconies. Masks equalize everyone - this is the last breath of freedom before the silence of Lent.

Renewal of Nature: 17-19 February

In Mongolia, the arrival of spring is marked by Tsagaan Sar - the "White Month". In 2026, it falls on 17–19 February. After a long steppe winter, when the wind walks the open plains for weeks and herds wait out the cold under a heavy sky, this holiday is felt especially keenly. Spring here is not a metaphor, but a promise of continued life.
Lights are lit in homes, buuz and white food appear on tables - a symbol of purity and a new beginning. Relatives come from afar to perform the ancient "zolgokh" rite: the younger ones support the elbows of the elders as a sign of respect, and with this - as a sign of transmitting experience, memory, and the stability of the clan.

Global Spring Ritual: 20–22 February

20–22 February: The Final Touches of Winter

Towards the end of the week, the rhythm intensifies. All of Vietnam plunges into the celebration of Tết - a sacred time of renewal. In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, streets turn into blooming gardens, filling with the scent of lemongrass and flowering peach branches. To the deafening beat of drums in the squares, paper lions come to life, and girls in silk áo dài distribute smiles - everything speaks of the triumph of life.

In Cologne (Germany), the week ends with the burning of the Nubbel - a straw effigy "responsible" for all the sins of the carnival. At the same time, in the Baltic states and other corners of the world where Slavic traditions are alive, people ask each other for forgiveness, burn a straw effigy symbolizing winter, and see off the last winter twilight by the fire in anticipation of spring.

Key Events of the Week 16-22 February 2026

Location	Event	Key Ritual
Cologne, Germany	Rosenmontag (16 February)	8km Parade, "Alaaf!" shout, Nubbel burning
Venice, Italy	Venice Carnival	Angel Flight 16 Feb, masks
Baltic States	Maslenitsa, Meteņi, Užgavėnės	Pancakes, hero battle (Lithuania), hill sledding
Switzerland (Lötschental)	Tschäggättä	Procession in wooden masks and skins
Bulgaria, Serbia	Kukeri, Poklade	"Olalii" bonfires, dances with bells
Poland, Czechia	Fat Thursday, Masopust	Doughnuts, costumed bears and horses
China, Asia	Lunar New Year (from 17 Feb)	Jiaozi, fireworks, red lanterns
Mongolia	Tsagaan Sar (17–19 Feb)	White food, buuz, "zolgokh" rite
New Orleans, USA	Mardi Gras	Jazz, balcony beads, parades
Vietnam	Tết	Flowering peach, lemongrass, silk outfits

Universal Language of Hope

None of these peoples formed their holidays looking at others. The Chinese calendar follows the Moon, European carnivals are tied to church dates, and Slavic Maslenitsa and ancient Baltic holidays - to natural cycles.

But they all converge at one point in the year. At that very moment when winter darkness seems unbearable. It is then that humanity needs to scream, dance, and bake "suns" on frying pans just to believe: warmth will return.

If one could see the planet from above on 16–22 February 2026, we would notice a continuous chain of lights from Riga to Beijing, from Cologne to Hanoi. People all over the world eat, laugh, and wait. Because inside us there is something in common. Something that knows for sure: winter always ends. And spring comes. Spring for all peoples of the world.

In business, we are used to seeing different markets and different peoples on the map, but underneath them, the same movement is always hidden: towards family, towards hope, towards traditions, and towards the feeling of a new beginning. When you accept this, the strategy of entering international markets ceases to be a set of tactics and turns into work with living people, their memory, and traditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main week of celebrations falls on 16–22 February 2026. This period overlaps with the Chinese New Year, the finale of European carnivals, Mardi Gras, and Maslenitsa week.

Despite different cultural and religious roots (lunar calendar, Christian fast, paganism), they all perform one function: ritual banishing of winter and meeting spring through noise, fire (fireworks, bonfires), abundant food, and carnival processions.

Key points: Cologne (Germany), Venice (Italy), New Orleans (USA), Beijing (China), as well as regions with strong traditions, such as Vietnam and the Lötschental valley (Switzerland).

Sources

Chinese New Year: 2026 — Year of the Horse (Lunar New Year). ChineseNewYear.net
Chinese New Year 2026 in China. Timeanddate.com
Chinese New Year. Wikipedia
When does the Chinese New Year in 2026 start? USA Today
New Orleans Mardi Gras 2026: Everything You Need to Know. RadicalStorage.com
Planning Your Trip to Mardi Gras 2026 in New Orleans. BookNola.com
Venice Carnival 2026 Program, Dates, Events. Visit-Venice-Italy.com
The Ultimate Guide to Venice Carnival 2026: Dates, Events. Holafly eSIM Blog
Karneval 2026 in Köln: Alles über Fastelovend. Koelntourismus.de
Wann ist Karneval in Köln? Alle Termine 2026 bis 2035. Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger
Karneval in Köln: Insider Tipps & Unterkünfte 2026. ipartment.de
Nubbelverbrennung in Köln; Veilchendienstag 2026: Alles zu Nubbelverbrennungen. Express.de
Maslenitsa Week – February 16–22, 2026. NationalToday.com
Maslenitsa in Latvia in 2026. DaysPedia.com
Tschäggättä Lötschental. Loetschental.ch (Official regional site)
Tschäggättä Mask – Second Face. Maskmuseum.org
Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) 2026: Calendar & Travel Guide. ChinaHighlights.com
Chinese New Year 2026 — Year of the Horse. Overview article (customs and attributes)

Author

Stanislava, founder of the hybrid holding WebSEOMarket, entrepreneur with 31 years of experience. She studies cultures and languages around the world and believes that a deep understanding of cultures allows us to understand people more accurately. And understanding people is the key to cultural business adaptation and the creation of sustainable projects when entering international markets.