2010 Photo Gallery

Masquerade Ball

February 13, 2010
Hans Wolf, PR and Webmeister Reinischer Verein

What a fantastic evening! What a show!
Where do I start? In my short 8 years with the Club, this is one of the most exciting Masquerade Ball-Karneval event I have participated in!

Yes, there was almost 1,000 of us Karnevalisten partying, still a mix of 'suits' but also a good mix of youthful party animals.

I arrived with two animals (Wolf + Fuchs) dressed as biker chicks. The Rosemont Convention Center Ballroom was decked out, the Elferat was policin' the doors and President Reinhard Richter was covering all bases.

Our bands, The Phenix and Paloma, set up side-by-side all controlled by the "Wagners" sound system. The event then started with Prinz Joseph + Prinzess Debbie being wheeled in on our new float (Narrenschiff).

The new LED strobelights I had installed on the float 'of course' did not work and I could not fix them with 100 people on, in and around the float!

In true tradition the Prinzenpaar was manuevered in, pushed by the mysterious looking Elferat, accompanied by Karneval musik by the Phenix. The whole procession looking like a concept of the Wizard of Oz paraded into the ballroom.

Various Prinzessinen and Königin of different clubs became part of the incoming parade and also to be recognized.

The Fanfaren Drum and Bugle Corps, the PrinzenGarde and Amazonen all followed. Cornell Erdbeer, master of ceremonies, introduced all and the Schunkel show started.

The paparazzi was everywhere 'trying' to steal my spots to take pictures… unsuccessfully. The music was outstanding, the Phenix giving us traditional Karneval tunes and the enlarged Paloma band looking and sounding like a Caribbean Calypso band. Good job Erik Freiberger, we need to upgrade our music,,, as well as our events.

The dance floor was full and every time I looked over my shoulder I saw the PrinzenGardes" Fesche Mädchen" line dancing on stage.

Good grief… maybe finally are we learning to put on a good show and enjoy it at the same time?

The initial Maskerade Parade was as busy as our tollway ride into the city(bumper to bumper). A couple of hundred revelers revolved around in costume, I think for some of them it was their natural look.

A broad variety of costumes made it very challenging for the judge to select the best costumes and winners. It could have been a hung jury but cooler heads prevailed. The Chipmonks took top prize "because there were so many" of them, about 25?? One of the roller skating girls kept falling (in the winners circle!) but she always stood up again.

Oozing with tradition, the Fanfaren and Amazonen precision dancers performance was outstanding. The enthusiasm of the crowd made it even more exciting.

President Reinhard Richter made notable mention of Erika Brokerhoff (Mother Superior) who recently passed away, she was one of the hardest working clubmember,,, and promoter of Karneval in the USA,,

Not to miss out on any of the action we danced to the Palomas new musik ranging from Schunkel to Calypso. The dance floor was full at all times with young and old enjoying themselves. The 'sound system' added to the stimmung and gave it that extra schwung.

Kudos to the Vorstand to hire the 'Wagner' sound system.

We left this wonderful event somewhat exhausted from aufbau and partying.Next is Rosenmontag and Fat Tuesday.

Weiberfastnacht

Weiberfastnacht (Womens Karneval night) Thursday February 11th
Sloshing down the Kennedy Expressway, I arrived fashionably(it was traffic) late to our Weiberfasnacht event held at our klubhaus.

Parking on the street became a treasure hunt, the snow had eliminated some spots and others were occupied by old furniture. Our KlubHaus was full of Weiber (women dressed as men) and girly men(men dressed as women). Cross dressing is the tradition and many party revelers went all out.

There was even a scuffle over seating arrangements!

Our PrinzenGarde under the direction of Cristel Valentine was in charge, infusing youthful exuberance to a difficult to maintain traditional event.

For the event, a new Weiberfastnacht Prinzenpaar was unveiled . In fact Prinzess 'Andy' looked rather attractive and was selected by the Prinze from a bevy of (beefy) Girlymen~~dressed as women .Potential candidate Prinzess 'Eric' did look a bit rough and apparently did not even shave… consequently he was not elected.

Who dat? Girlymen Reinhard, Reinholt , Helmut and Gustav went all out. I heard complaints about chafing, itching and uncomfortable high heels.

Ironically, when the call was out to produce a condom to collect a prize…Girlyman Reinholt very cleverly popped a balloon and claimed his prize in his high heels… NO one else responded.

Two Chippendales (Fanfaren) all buffed with rabbit ears, pushed around a bar-cart and became the darlings of picture takers.

The PrinzenGarde put on a lively~ good dance show, backed by the Paloma band under the direction of Eric Freiberger. It was great Stimmung, supporting the fact that our Mayfest was voted best festival (by Metro mix) in Chicago.

In all this commotion the Fanfaren marched into an already packed Klubhaus,while Joe Matuschka sang 'Einmal~ am Rhein',,what a fun evening,,,.It cant get any better than this .

I was trying to fit in, take my pictures for the website and observe das Narrenfolk rejuvenate this traditional event… because… it's Karneval Zeit.

Kappenabend at the Brauhaus

Rosenmontag

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