Traditional Munich Coopers' Dance during Carnival - one of Bavaria's oldest traditions
For 500 years, the coopers have danced every seven years during Carnival season - here are all the locations and dates for the coming days
Until February 17, 2026, you can see the Munich coopers dancing in a different part of the city every day - a must-see for anyone who wants to experience Bavaria and its traditions - (Deutsch, English, Italiano, Français)
Munich. From January 6 (Epiphany) until Shrove Tuesday on February 17, 2026, the Munich coopers will travel through the city by coach. The 500-year-old coopers' dance is part of Munich's quintessential Bavarian customs and is a tradition that can be seen again this year. It is the guild dance of the coopers (barrel makers and barrel makers), who turn and dance to music in prescribed figures. The history of the Schäffler dance during Carnival: The Schäffler dancers in Munich perform every seven years during Carnival; this year, after 2019, it would be the year 2026. But exceptions prove the rule: the coopers' dance tradition celebrated its 500th anniversary in 2017, and so the custom was allowed to be observed during Carnival season that year as well. The coopers' guild has been proud of its profession since the Middle Ages, and its traditional costume has become a uniform-like trademark. The coopers' dance relief above the plague dragon – the Lindwurm on the corner of Munich's town hall – points to the reason for the dance: to prevent the plague from returning, the coopers dance every seven years – because in the Middle Ages, waves of plague repeatedly swept through Munich.
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| Schäffler Dance relief above the Plague Dragon - the Lindwurm at the Wurmeck of Munich City Hall, Copyright: Helga Waess |
THE SCHÄFFLER DANCE
At the head of the dance is either the jester, a kind of Punch and Judy character, followed by the lead dancer, the barrel swingers, and the hoop swingers with their wooden hoops.
All information is available directly on the Schäffler website:
- schaefflertanzmuenchen.de
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| Dancing Schäffler figure at the Schäffler Corner at Marienhof, Photo: Helga Waess |
Schäffler Dance dates in the coming days
Upcoming events of the Munich Schäffler
in Munich, Dachau, Herrsching am Ammersee, Lenggries, Unterschleißheim, Fürstenfeldbruck, Karlsfeld, Pullach im Isartal
Sonntag, 15.02.2026 - Münchner Schäfflertanz
09:45 Dorfstraße 1, 85221 Dachau (Pellheim)
12:00 Wasserburger Landstraße 32, 81825 München
14:00 Freihamer Allee 21, 81249 München
15:00 Frauenplatz 9, 80331 München
16:00 Viktualienmarkt 15, 80331 München
17:00 Kolomannstraße 29, 85737 Ismaning
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| Am Rathauseck wacht der Pestdrache bei den Schäfflern über den Christkindlmarkt auf dem Marienplatz, Foto: Helga Waess |
Montag, 16.02.2026 - Münchner Schäfflertanz
11:00 Mariahilfplatz, 81541 München
12:00 Forstenrieder Allee 187, 81476 München
13:00 Innere Wiener Straße 19, 81667 München
14:00 Max-Joseph-Straße 4, 80333 München
15:00 Curt-Metzger-Platz 1, 80809 München
16:00 Schleißheimerstraße 506, 80993 München
17:00 Rotkreuzplatz, 80634 München
Dienstag, 17.02.2026 - Münchner Schäfflertanz
09:00 Flößergasse 4, 81369 München
11:00 Viktualienmarkt, 80331 München
13:00 Brienner Straße 18, 80333 München
15:00 Gartenstraße 7, 85757 Karlsfeld
16:00 Kirchplatz, 82049 Pullach im Isartal
18:30 Residenzstraße 1, 80333 München
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| Dancing cooper figure with a jug at the Coopers' Corner in Munich, Photo: Helga Waess |
Münchner Schäfflertanz - letzter Tanz der Saison 2026
Dienstag, 17.02.2026 - Münchner Schäfflertanz
21:00 Neuhauser Straße 27, 80331 München
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| Tanzende Schäfflerfigur am Schäffler-Eck in München, Foto: Helga Waess |
