what is krampuslauf philadelphia?

krampuslauf philadelphia is a celebration of winter’s “scary” spirits. the lauf itself begins in liberty lands, a community-owned two-acre park in northern liberties, where families gather to greet, admire, and prepare. a procession then takes place over a short, mostly traffic-free route in northern liberties shopping and dining district. laufers then return to the park for treats, photos with various krampusse, and socializing.

if you want to know who krampus himself is, check out his wikipedia entry.

here’s an NPR piece about krampuslauf philadelphia and other pioneering american krampus events.

if you want to know why we think that krampus, and other “scary” folklore is positive for children, read amber’s article in inCulture Parent magazine.

want to know how the first krampuslauf philadelphia came together, and how it’s organizers see its continued place in the community? read this in-depth interview with amber and janet, conducted by jhon sanders of many mouths one stomach in tuscon AZ.

how can i participate?

krampuslauf philadelphia is a public event and all are welcome to join in, provided they abide a few simple rules. you can spend all year preparing, or you can come at the last minute with no costume. (we have extra costume elements, percussion instruments, and puppets to share for anyone who wishes to use them.)

regardless of how much preparation you make for the lauf, or how far you drove, this event takes place outdoors in december (it’s cold), and involves many children (cold children are miserable).

there’s no being late to a krampuslauf — it gathers and begins on time and it disperses as soon as people want to go get warmer.

is the only way to participate to be dressed up like a krampus?

definitely not! even in a strictly traditional krampuslauf, once can often see a st. nikolas and an angel or two along for the ride. or how about one of krampus’ cousins from around the world — like the perchten, belsnickel, or buttnmandl? how about a yule goat, or the jólasveinarnir, or christmas cookie sprinkle snitcher? our focus is the dark, fearful element of winter — because, as brother arun says, “When we invite the shadow side of life to our parties, it is less likely to sneak up behind us.” we do like the idea of keeping fading traditions around the world, alive.

how can i participate beyond just showing up that day and laufing?

we will be holding various mask and puppet making workshops and other crafting events throughout the fall and early winter season. they will be announced on this blog and on our facebook pages. attend them and meet your krampus brethren!

of course, individual costumes are in no way dependent on the maker events. plenty of people make their costumes, masks, or percussion on their own, and bring them on their own.

if you want to help with preparation for krampuslauf beyond just attending, or manifesting workshops, here are some ideas:

DONATIONS. our wish list includes:

neutral colors of fun fur (brown, black, grey, white)
leather scrap
yarn and fabric in neutrals, metallics, or red and green
noisemakers or drums
horns, claws, or other prostheses to be incorporated into costumes or puppets
sheep or goat skins!

we will take these items any time, any day of the year!

or…

SKILLS! we like those too!

WE ARE PARTICULARLY LOOKING FOR

metalworkers/founders interested in helping create custom rump bells for krampusse

people interested in creating/leading “krampus backbeat” — simple, embellishable rhythm to keep the procession cohesive.

why don’t you add a krampus-themed bar crawl/pet costume contest/reality show/fill in other event here to krampuslauf philadelphia?

we are happy to hear about, and cross-promote, any other krampus-related events, in philly or otherwise. but our plans for “growth” do not rest on added zhoosh.

when it comes down to it, our greatest ambitions for the “growth” of krampuslauf philadelphia are not to see more people attending, or more people watching… but to see the skill and experience levels of its participants rise.

why do you fundraise for krampuslauf philadelphia?

you may at times see us looking into small local grants, or promoting crowdfunding campaigns for krampuslauf philadelphia. even if everyone who makes a costume or a mask takes the responsibility and ownership of it themselves (and that’s how we do), there are still expenses incurred for the event.

in our inaugural (2011) year, personal funds were spent not only on costuming and minimal prop fabrication (two large stitched banners), but on a modest amount of publicity (postcards, one-inch buttons), craft supplies for the “krampus consciousness-raising” table at the liberty lands fall festival, craft supplies for the puppet-making workshop at the northern liberties community center, refreshments to serve at the park before and after the lauf, and extra noisemakers/horns/costume parts for people to borrow from a communal collection for the event.

although we have taken a small materials fee at our maker events, it does not cover the cost of what actually goes into them. while everyone involved in krampuslauf philadelphia volunteers their time, and is responsible for their personal costuming, we would like to be able to fund our modest publicity, supplies for craft outreach events, community-loan items for the lauf, and refreshments. we would also love to be able to offer small “grants” to makers who are creating something extra-special and customized for krampuslauf philadelphia (motorized props, oversized puppets).