A wild party: How to survive your first Aalborg Carnival

Written May 22, 2023 kl 1:05 pm by Vera Dvorakova

Aalborg Carnival is a huge event for the entire city.

But if you’ve never attended it, you might feel a bit anxious about what to expect and how to prepare.

Don’t worry: Here’s a few tips on how to make your first Carnival a memorable (and safe) experience!

Plan your costume ahead of time

For all the drinking, we sometimes forget that the Carnival is first and foremost about dressing up!

Many people plan a group costume with their friends, but many others just go with whatever they find fun.

The important thing is to figure it out ahead of time because if you decide to show up at Billig Billy (the Karneval store in town) the day before Carnival, you’ll find yourself in a huge line and with limited costume options.

Psst…. Need inspiration? We’ve compiled a list of custome ideas.

Get yourself a trolley

If you don’t like dragging your beers in your hands the whole day, it’s a good idea to get a small trolley (trækvogn in Danish) to put your alcohol and spare jackets in.

Even an old piece of luggage could work very well – just bear in mind that it might end up destroyed and covered in beer and glitter at the end of the day.

Find comfortable shoes

The parade can get pretty wild – usually there is everything from broken bottles, spare clothes and random trash lying on the ground for us to step on.

So be smart and leave your high heels or sandals at home and instead put on a pair of sturdy, comfortable shoes.

You’ll be thanking me the next day when your legs aren’t bloody.

Make sure your tummy is full

It’s a tradition that people get an early breakfast or brunch before going to the parade.

That’s not only to get all the drinking started and hang out with friends, but also to keep you from passing out from all the alcohol you consumed.

A great idea is also to pack some smaller snacks for later in the day.

Last year, we brought some sandwiches and nuts to snack on and it gave us an energy boost when we were getting drunk and tired.

Water, water, water!

A full tummy is one thing, another one is staying hydrated.

You’ll probably be drinking alcohol and walking a lot, so keep enough water on hand and drink it throughout the day.

It will not only help your hangover the next day, but you also won’t get overheated.

Remember the sun

The day of the Carnival parade is usually pretty sunny and you’ll see lots of people who will be crazy sunburnt because they didn’t realize it.

So find some sunscreen and put it on, or even take it with you to reapply. A hat on your head is also a tip I wish someone had given me much earlier.

I know this is the kind of advice coming from your, but trust me: you’ll need it.

Have good friends around

Carnival parades can get pretty hectic, especially once you arrive to Vesterbro where everyone merges into one big parade. It’s easy to lose track of your friends and that’s twice as true if you all are inebriated.

Make sure you keep at least one friend close to you and try not to lose your phone in case you need to call and find your friends again.

There is also an app that lets you share your location and find your group more easily if you split at some point.