On December 28, Basel’s Fasnacht Committee, which is the main organizing organization behind Basel’s famous carnival, revealed the design of the 2024 “Plakette” (badge), whose sale supports the various groups (Cliques) and bands (Guggemusik) participating in the Fasnacht. Each year a competition determines the season’s design, and the choice is one of Basel’s best-kept secrets until the official reveal at the end of December.

This year’s badge design by artist Guido Happle, who has already created several winning badge designs, has the motto “Vogelfrei” (free as a bird). It shows a bird that plays a piccolo flute while sitting in a birdcage whose door is open. The design references the new birdhouse that last year was inaugurated at the Zoo Basel as well as the zoo’s 150th anniversary in 2024. At the same time, it symbolizes the Fasnacht participants who for the crazy 72 hours of Fasnacht can escape the cage of their everyday life and feel free as a bird.

As always, there are several versions of the badges available at different prices, including a copper version (CHF 10); silver (CHF 20); gold (CHF 50); and “Bijou” (CHF 100), which is available as both a pin and a pendant. On the gold and bijou designs, the bird is joined by an elephant and a monkey that also are making music.

In addition to the traditional badges, as a one-off this year, the artist also designed three smaller pins showing a penguin, giraffe, or lion, respectively, that will be available for CHF 10 each. And what’s more—for each of these animal pins sold, CHF 1 will be donated to the Basel Zoo to demonstrate the connection between these two Basel institutions.

The new badges and pins will go on sale on January 6. You can get them from the various Fasnacht Cliques, at certain Kiosk locations, and from the street vendors who stand at various locations in town calling out “Blaggedde! Blaggedde!” By purchasing a badge and proudly wearing it on your coat, especially during the Fasnacht days, you not only support the Cliques in raising some of the immense costs they incur for their masks, costumes, wagons, lanterns, instruments, etc., but you are also much more likely to receive some goodies during the large parades on the Fasnacht Monday and Wednesday rather than being doused in confetti!

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