Vogel Gryff 2018 - a historic Basel event

The Vogel Gryff tradition is one of the most archaic events in Basel. Quite odd and very medieval in spirit, this is a traditional festival organised by the three Honourable Societies of Kleinbasel, which are called "zum Rebhaus", "zur Hären" and "zum Greifen". On Vogel Gryff day, the three heraldic figures "Vogel Gryff" (the Griffin), "Wild Maa" (Wild Man) and "Leu" (Lion), accompanied by three drummers, three standard-bearers and four jesters, who collect money for the needy, parade through Kleinbasel, the part of the city that lies on the right-hand bank of the Rhine, performing their traditional dances along the way.

Get to the Mittlere Brücke around 10.30 in the morning to wait for the raft of the Wild Man to float down the Rhine - you'll hear it before you see it, because there's an actual cannon on the raft, firing off gun salutes. The raft then lands just below the Mittlere Brücke at Klingental at around 11 a.m. to start the day. The Wild Man is greeted by the Griffin and the Lion and the "parade" then makes its way onto the Mittlere Brücke for its yearly "2 fingers up" to Grossbasel before it continues though Kleinbasel performing at various locations.

It's decidedly unique and weird and wonderful.

More info (in English) is here:

My Switzerland website

There's a PDF "route plan" with times and locations here.

When: Sat 20 January 2018, from around 10:30

Where: Mittlere Brücke, Kleinbasel side of the Rhein, various locations in Kleinbasel