Vogel Gryff

Vogel Gryff, or the Festival of the Griffin, is the largest event of the year in Kleinbasel. It opens with the Savage's rafting journey down the Rhine. The raft carries drummers beating out the "Rhy Ab" march, and cannons firing their salute. At the river's bank, the Savage is received by Vogel Gryff and Leu (the griffin and the lion respectively), and together they proceed through Kleinbasel, dancing and entertaining crowds of spectators from the town and the surrounding area. The dance moves are passed down through the generations of griffins, lions and savages without being recorded in writing. In contrast, the traditional drumming march can be read from its sheet music, and is played in exactly the same way year after year. After carnival, Vogel Gryff is the largest event in the City of Basel and is well known across a much wider area.