Partygoers clad in bright costumes filled Düsseldorf's downtown on Sunday as the city's Rose Monday parade kicked off beneath a clear, sunny sky. Organizers said they expected around half a million people to attend, but the German Press Agency said numbers appeared to be significantly lower.

"It's different than usual," one police spokesman said.

Around 10,000 people were set to take part in the procession itself, while more than 1,000 police officers were deployed along the 5-kilometer (3-mile) route.

Even Republican frontrunner Donald Trump had a place in the parade

The traditional Rosenmontag, or Rose Monday, parades are widely seen as the pinnacle of the Rhineland's carnival season, with colorful and satirical floats alternating with brass bands and dance troupes. Düsseldorf's event, originally scheduled for February 8, was canceled at the last minute amid severe weather warnings.

Carnival floats often poke fun at politicians and draw attention to current issues, and Sunday's parade was no exception. The rise of US presidential hopeful Donald Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Europe's refugee crisis, all featured in this year's event.

2016 Carnival: Gone with the wind in Düsseldorf, Mainz Canceled! Shrove Monday is almost unimaginable without the traditional parades through the German cities where it is celebrated as Rosenmontag, or Rose Monday. But the storm front Ruzica, which threatened gusts exceeding 100 kilometers per hour (60 mph), caused cancellations in several cities, including Mainz and Düsseldorf, where Carnival usually reigns supreme.

2016 Carnival: Gone with the wind in Düsseldorf, Mainz Storm warning Some Carnivalists remained undaunted, like this one in Düsseldorf. But what if a branch or part of a float had fallen on a group of people? With a heavy heart, the organizers in Mainz and Düsseldorf decided to call off the parade.

2016 Carnival: Gone with the wind in Düsseldorf, Mainz Satirical themes In Düsseldorf, some of the floats were parked on public squares. Passersby could then at least see how Chancellor Angela Merkel is depicted as washed away by a "wave of refugees."

2016 Carnival: Gone with the wind in Düsseldorf, Mainz From blue to 'brown' The float builders in Düsseldorf lived up to their reputation for not shying away from politically explosive subjects. This float describes the way the Alternative for Germany party has moved toward the political right; the color brown is often used in Germany to symbolize Nazism.

2016 Carnival: Gone with the wind in Düsseldorf, Mainz A black eye for Trump This is another of the floats that would have taken part in the Düsseldorf parade. The US presidential hopeful Donald Trump would not likely use his preferred modifier "greatest" to describe this irreverent depiction.

2016 Carnival: Gone with the wind in Düsseldorf, Mainz An abundance of candies In Mainz, the floats stayed under cover. Here are some of them loaded with the candies that would usually have been thrown to the spectators. Now, it won't just be the children who are asking what's going to be done with all those thousands of sweets.

2016 Carnival: Gone with the wind in Düsseldorf, Mainz Cologne defies the forecast In Cologne, another bastion of Carnival, the organizers decided to let the parade go ahead - but without horses, large figures on the floats and flags. And spectators embraced the motto: "There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing."

2016 Carnival: Gone with the wind in Düsseldorf, Mainz Eager anticipation At the least, sturdy shoes were much in evidence among the spectators. But the jostling to pick up as many of the thrown candies as possible was not as intense as it usually is in Cologne.

2016 Carnival: Gone with the wind in Düsseldorf, Mainz Police out in force Police are making their presence known in Cologne over Carnival following the attacks that occurred on New Year's Eve.

2016 Carnival: Gone with the wind in Düsseldorf, Mainz Umbrellas in local colors Authentic Carnival fans will never let wind, weather or even fear of terrorism dampen their spirits. And when Cologne's white-and-red colors can even be seen adorning the umbrellas, it can't be long until the owners head off for their first glass of the local brew, called Kölsch. Author: Martin Muno / tj



The approach of low-pressure system Ruzica in early February prompted Düsseldorf, as well as the cities of Mainz, Duisberg, Münster and Essen, to cancel their Rose Monday parades.

The procession went ahead in Cologne, home to the country's largest carnival celebration, although it too was downscaled.

Horses and horse-drawn carriages weren't allowed to take part. Police also prohibited big flags, placards and figurines, and asked participants to dismantle heavy installations on carriages and buildings.

nm/jlw (dpa, epd)