Every year on January 05, in Salzkammergut, Bad Ischl lights up the night with the Glöckler parade. Groups of up to 20 men wear only white and a belt of loud bells and "Caps." The procession goes from house to house singing and dancing. Caps have a unique design. The first Cap usually looks like a comet, others are painted with traditional ornaments and customs, reflected in the painting. The Glöckler form a line and move in figure eights and circles. The figure '8' symbolizes infinite repetition and a circle is an eternal cycle of nature. Candle lights and bells are supposed to drive away all the evil and bring good blessings. In Bad Ischl, there are around 20 Glöckler groups, half of them usually come to the town centre. This tradition has been marked as an intangible cultural heritage of Austria by the UNESCO.
