Wampeler, Laniger and an end to the long winter 

The local inhabitants here in Axams are particularly proud of their “Fasnacht” carnival traditions – and quite rightly so! During the carnival season, village life for both locals and holidaymakers is dominated by masked characters such as the “Wampeler”, “Reiter”, “Tuxer” and “Flitscheler”, along with old hags and witches, jesters, bears and bear keepers. The tradition of “Lanigerschaug’n” comes alive every Thursday evening when groups dressed up as traditional “Fasnacht” figures go from tavern to tavern to dance with the guests there and tell stories about village life from times gone by.

Highlight of the carnival festivities every year is the traditional “Axamer Wampelerreiten” – almost certainly the roughest carnival tradition in the Alpine region, in which the so-called “riders” have to try to throw the straw-stuffed “Wampeler” (literally the “fat-bellied one”) on their backs. The struggle between  the “Wampeler” and the riders, played by local men and boys, symbolises the battle between the departing winter and the arriving spring. A peculiar, somewhat brutal and yet fascinating custom.