Pictures: Carnival season in Germany

A carnival reveller dressed as a mattress gave the thumbs up at the start of the carnival season in Germany. In many parts of the country, the festivities begin at 11:11 a.m. on Nov. 11, kicking off a season of controlled, raucous fun that reaches a climax during the days before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.

President of the Mainz Carnival Association, Richard Wagner, officially opened the new carnival season at 11:11 am on Nov. 11.

Young carnival dancers performed at the traditional opening at the Old City Hall in Braunschweig.

A “Schwellkopp”, a person wearing a giant papier mache head, stood between spectators.

Men in giraffe costumes carried beer cans.

A man with a mask looked up at Cologne Cathedral.

Men dressed in pig costumes stood in front of the Cologne’s landmark cathedral.

Women dressed up and posed as singers.

Women dressed in colorful costumes.

“Funkenmariechen,” or young majorette dancers, put their fingers in their ears during a cannon cracker.

A woman smiled behind celebrating revelers in Cologne.

A man dressed in a fools costume of a so-called “Hoppeditz” gives the traditional opening speech.

Participants sang and danced as tens of thousands of revelers celebrate the beginning of the carnival.