UPDATED MAR 2020. Since the fairytale-like Christmas markets tend to steal the spotlight, Krampus parades might not be at the top of your winter European holiday bucket list. You might be like me and had not even heard of it. Today, let’s take a closer look at attending a Krampus parade in Italy. If you scare easily you can peek through one eye.
Krampus Parade In Italy – Should You Go & Is He A Cotton-Headed Ninny-Muggins?
Who is Krampus?
Think of Krampus like the anti-Santa.
Originating from German folklore, he is a half-goat, half-demon looking figure who basically dishes out punishment for the naughty kids. St. Nikolaus (similar to Santa but not the same) visits houses and rewards the nice kids with candy and gifts.
While Krampus visits the naughty kids to whip them with birch sticks, scare them, and even put some in a sack and take them away to the underworld.
He’s kind of like Beast from Beauty and the Beast. Just not the nice version that gives you a library, just the scary and angry version at the start of the movie.
So you better be good for goodness sake… or to avoid having Krampus show up at your house.
What happens at a Krampus parade?
It’s different from a traditional parade in the sense that there aren’t any floats, bands or people marching and waving.
It’s really just scary creatures running through the streets.
At a Krampus parade, also known as Krampuslauf or Krampus run, people dressed as Krampus run through the streets in scream inciting costumes seeking out the naughty kids, and solo female travelers it would seem, to scare them into being good.
The sound of cowbells clanging and children crying fills the air as the scary figures pass through the streets. They interact with the crowd by whipping people with sticks, poking them, grabbing beanies, and growling.
It sounds scary, and it kind of is but in a cool way.
Where can you go to a Krampus parade?
Though Krampus parades can be found in many places around Europe, and even the world, I’d recommend attending one in the Alpine region of Europe – look for parades in Germany, Austria, North Italy, Switzerland and other countries in that region.
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My experience
I attended the Krampus parade in Bolzano, north Italy.
It was a really cool experience for me, but if you are planning to go to a Krampus parade I wouldn’t recommend it. It wasn’t organized very well in my opinion, since it started late and there were no barriers to allow for walking space for the Krampus to move through.
Instead, it turned into a sardines-in-the-can like crowd following the Krampus (who could barely move through it and you could hear them getting frustrated about it.)
People were shoving, elbowing, and aggressively pushing each other to get a selfie with the Krampus.
It was like a mosh pit of people pushing kids, women, old people, and I wasn’t a fan of it. It was kind of sad to see people acting that way, to be honest.
Krampus parade in Italy – act two
They did one very slow and crowded lap of the square then took a break. It seemed like it was over, but when I went to thank the organizer she mentioned that they were just taking a 10-minute break.
Luckily, most of the crazy wildebeest crowd had left so I stuck around to see what would happen.
I was so glad I did because the second run was a million times better. Since most of the crowd was gone, the Krampus had room to move and this is what made it fun.
They ran after people, whipped them with the birch sticks, bounced their butts as they walked so the bells echoed throughout the streets, took selfies, walked in and out of shops, and had space to really be the character of Krampus.
My husband went to an event in Munich, Germany and it sounded like it was much better organized than the one I went to – with areas being roped off to allow Krampus space.
One of my friends went to one in Bad Goisern, Austria and her photos and videos also looked awesome.
When to attend a Krampus parade
Traditionally, Krampus arrives on the 5th of December on the eve of the feast of St. Nikolaus, and, as such, a lot of Krampus parades are held on this day as well as that weekend.
If you are planning a trip to Europe and want to experience a Krampus parade, try to plan it around this time if you can.
If you can’t though, you can find other Krampus parades throughout the month so you’ll just need to do a little searching to find one – Munich hosts a big one later in the month.
Is he a cotton-headed ninny-muggins?
He’s scary, he whips you, and he’s uber judgemental so, all in all, I’d say yes.
Yet still, I think it is worth attending a Krampus parade in Italy or elsewhere to experience the fun and scary event for yourself.
Disclaimer: if you suspect you’re on the naughty list, you may want to hide at the back of the crowd.
I hope this post can help you plan your visit if you had plans of going to a Krampus parade in Italy or elsewhere.
Other guides to help you plan your visit to Italy
Maximize Your Visit With This Guided Tour Of The Colosseum In Rome
Stay In Milan With A Duomo View (Without Spending A Fortune)
Where To Stay In Tuscany (To Live Your Under The Tuscan Sun Dreams)
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Um, thanks for coming but next time stay home? Don’t go to other countries to bitch about their traditions or how they chose to celebrate them.
Thanks,
An American married to an Italian and living in northern Italy
Giving an honest review of an event is not the same as bitching about traditions – especially when I have explained that the tradition is something everyone should experience.