This was the end…

…of Carnival – or Mardi Gras – on the last Saturday before ‘Rose Monday’, at the Hansa Haus in Mississauga. At least for this ‘Karneval’ season.

The hosts: The 1.KG Hansa of the German Canadian Club Hansa.

1.K.G. Hansa

Unfortunately there were many other functions scheduled in Ontario on the same evening. Apparently this is hard to avoid since most of the venues have to be picked a year ahead. Someone should invent a method whereby all the groups can talk to each other before they commit to dates and venues for their coming events.

(Didn’t this fellow Alexander Graham Bell invent some kind of apparatus that would make this possible? Maybe Edison could throw a little light on it.)

Unfortunately it also splits the potential followers into several groups, which considerably reduces the income of the hosts, since you can only dance at one wedding.

As expected, Angelika Kaltz created new uniforms for this year’s event. They are typical for Angelika’s usual innovative creativity. This year everyone got a crown instead of the customary headgear as part of the costume. They really looked "Royal"!

On the plus side though, there was more room on the dance floor due to half the people expected in the early part of the evening. The late guests arrived after they had a sumptuous dinner upstairs in the Hansa Stube.

On the dance floor

The Harmonie Brass Showband made sure that the mood was good and the dance floor filled with dancers that appreciated the band’s rich palette of well-known and unforgotten tunes. Kudos have go to Boe Hladysh, who was the MC and general manager of the event this evening. Well-done Boe!

The Harmonie Brass Showband

But sadly no kudos for the kitchen this time though, since a number of the guests had complained about difference between the quantity, quality and the price of the food. Very unusual! Maybe someone thought that Lent had started already? Or all the good stuff went to the "Hunters" upstairs?

The K.G. Loreley Dance Guard

The entertainment highlight for this event was the participation of the KG Loreley Dance guard from Oshawa.

...and the Can Can

They performed not only a traditional guard dance but also their ‘Can Can’ show dance, to the great delight of the audience - almost like the one at the "Moulin Rouge" in Paris – well- almost! Thank you Tammy for bringing them with you.

The costumes

The 3 (Stooges) judges	Announcing the winners

There were not that many costumes but some of them were colourful and inventive. Among the winners was a French Trapper and his Mamselle, a clown of course, and the wicked queen from Snow White with her mirror. Two of the KG Hansa "Fools" and our own Sybille had the difficult task to judge the participants for best costume in 3 categories.

The Polonaise

The evening started a bit slow due to the lack of visitors – as I commented above - but the mood did pick up during the evening and with late arrivals becoming part of the audience – especially when the ‘Hunters" finished their dinner in the Hansa Stube upstairs and joined the revellers in the great hall.

One of the other events this very same evening was the annual "Crazy Ladies Night" in Kitchener.

Our contacts in Kitchener, Helga und Albert Koch were instrumental in sending us the highlights and pictures of this - ‘End of the Season’- weekend:

On Saturday the Narrenzunft celebrated their annual "Crazy Ladies Night" where many wonderful, colorful, artistic and imaginative costumes were in evidence in the great hall of the Concordia Club. The overriding theme this year was "Pirates" and the hall was decorated with an old boat and a display of treasures of the sea and skeletons, to reinforce the nautical theme. One of the pirates even sported a hook – instead of a hand – on his left arm, and some of them wore eye patches. Very realistic! The KG Ascendia, Hamilton sent a delegation under the leadership of one of the ‘Knights Templar’ – Cornel Brüggeman looked very realistic – but not real.

Crazy Ladies Night

all pictures by Albert Koch
Crazy Ladies Night	Ernie and friend
Karin, Manfred & Inge	Concordia Club Vice President Karl Braun & wife Käthe
Narrenzunft Concordia Girl Guard show dance
GKG Narrhalla 58's Monika, Hugh & Dave	1.K.G. Ascendia Hamilton
The Treffpunkt Group	Costume Parade
The Treffpunkt Group	Costume Parade
Costume Parade	And the winners are...

Another delegation had arrived from Hamilton, and the GKG Narrhalla had sent some top members to help in the celebrations. Unfortunately there was no "Prince Carnival" present at this event – and hasn’t been for a few years now. Apparently nobody wants the job anymore. It is a real loss for this wonderful activity and reminder of where we came from.

The Narrenzunft Girl Guard and the Funki (Funkenmariechen) entertained with traditional dances to great applause by the guests. The selection of the winning costumes, and awarding of the prizes for them, concluded this entertaining event.

Kindermaskenball

all pictures by Albert Koch
Kindermaskenball

　On Sunday, Feb. 18. The KG Narrenzunft staged the annual Kinder Masquerade Party. An event a lot of the youngsters wait for each because it is much fun. Children do like the costume themselves. That is why some very good costumes were again present. The children were entertained with music, games, dances, performances and a lot of goodies and prizes for the many wonderful costumes.

Rose Monday

all pictures by Albert Koch
Einmarsch Rose Monday	The Bauchpeople
Officials from the Region of Kitchener/Waterloo	The Narrenzunft Concordia Girl Guard
The Hoppeditz is still alive	Hoppeditz revival attempts by Doctor Mona and assistant
He had a good life!	Rose Monday's ballbearers
A last good-bye to 2006/2007 by Armin & Marianne Hellmann & Gunhild Budczinski

On Monday, Feb. 19.- Rose Monday - the Narrenzunft put the Mardi Gras season 2006 – 2007 to rest in the Schenke of the Concordia Club. It turned into a somber affair when, at the end of the evening, the ‘Hoppeditz’ – representing our carnival season – died and was laid to rest in his coffin. Doktor Mona had valiantly tried to revive him but to no avail. Well, he had spent all his money anyway and couldn’t even pay for his funeral anymore -or the white candles the mourners and pallbearers carried, when they carried him out of the Schenke.

Music was provided by the Variation Band with Heinz Lindlau, and Jürgen Budczinski served as a very talented M.C. for the weekend.

Several officials from the city of Kitchener and regional officials, as well as Gerd and Ingrid Brachlow from radio CKPC Brantford, Henning Grumme from radio CKWR Waterloo, the Mardi Gras group Narragonia Brantford and members of the Concordia Club helped and witnessed the burial of the ‘Hoppeditz’ for another season.

We hope to wake him up again - with Dr. Mona’s help - at our opening on Nov. 17. 07 – and the start of a new Mardi Gras Season. Alaaf, Helau and Ahoi until then…

Helga Koch & Dick Altermann