How to Blowup a Snowman

So every year Zürich celebrates Sechseläuten (six o'clock ringing of the bells) to celebrate the end of work day during spring/summer. Traditionally the work day ended when it was dark so in essence the holiday is celebrating the work day ending and there still being light left after work to play. 

The celebration begins with a children's parade on Sunday afternoon. 

 Nothing is cuter than little kids in traditional Swiss attire throwing bread and candy to the crowd.

The Böögg.  He has no idea what's coming to him the next day!

On Monday there is a fantastically long parade with 500 horses and 26 different traditional guilds (Zünfte) with 3,500 members.  Each guild had their own horse drawn float and marching band.

I think these guys were the tailors.  If the clownishly large scissors didn't give it away, they also had measuring tapes hanging from their waists.  I'm not sure if I would hire the nearest guy.  Are the floods coming?  Just saying...

I think the parade lasted more than 3 hours because spectators run up to the parade participants and give them flowers and do the traditional Swiss (3 kiss) greeting. 

So what do they do at the ringing of the 6 o'clock bell?  They burn an effigy of winter in the form of a snowman, fill his head full of explosives and wait for it to explode!

Needless to say this was one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time...

The quicker the head explodes the better the summer will be.  This year it exploded at 10 min 56 sec. Well below the 14 min average!