On Ash Wednesday, which fell on Feb. 22 in 2023, Christians entered Lent, a 40-day time period set aside to prepare for Easter through abstinence from certain pleasures, fasting and prayer. While traditionally a season of solemnity and self-reflection, a look at Europe’s cultural calendar for the weeks ahead reassures us that fun and festivity isn’t entirely off the agenda. Here are some ways to get in sync with the season:

Easter egg markets

Eggs, associated with new life from time immemorial, have long been given astounding makeovers for Easter. While prettily dyed and decorated versions are ubiquitous this time of year, some artists take the craft of embellishing eggs to another level. Their talent and creativity is on full display at multiple Easter egg exhibitions. In contrast to more generic Easter markets at which a variety of plants and handicrafts are sold, egg artistry stands front and center at the following events in Germany:

Seligenstadt Monastery, Seligenstadt: This handsome medieval city on the Main River just east of Frankfurt is home to the largest Carolingian basilica to be found north of the Alps. Its monastery hosts the Easter egg exhibition Feb. 25-26. Adult entry 3.50 euros, children age 12 and under enter free. Online: tinyurl.com/25t2za3m

Schloss Filseck, Uhingen: This castle east of Stuttgart welcomes admirers of the egg to its market March 4-5. Entry costs 4 euros. Online: tinyurl.com/2afn9k7r

Eberbach Monastery, Eltville Am Rhein: The famous monastery in the Rheingau region west of Wiesbaden welcomes visitors to its market March 4-5. (Note this market features the same exhibitors as the Seligenstadt event.) Adult entry 6 euros, children age 12 and under enter free. Online: tinyurl.com/8msw6xb5

Schloss Schwetzingen, Schwetzingen: Held at the site of a stately castle to the west of Heidelberg, this market features international artists and craftsmen. Entry to both the market and castle gardens costs 8 euros. Online: tinyurl.com/5dkfacsn

Erwin-Hasenzahl-Halle, Michelstadt: This half-timbered beauty of a town in the Odenwald, south of Frankfurt, hosts its annual display March 18-19. Adult entry 3 euros, children under 14 enter free. Online: tinyurl.com/ysjj5bhw

Redoutensaal, Erlangen: This newcomer to the Easter egg market scene takes place north of Nuremberg April 1-2. Adult entry 3.50 euros, children age 12 and under enter free. Online: tinyurl.com/mtv7drws

Strong Beer festivals

Centuries back, Lent meant monks and practicing Christians would abstain from solid foods, but not from drinking. Because water was often too polluted for consumption, beer was a staple product. Starkbier, or strong beer, appeared on the scene when the Paulaner monks, whose monastery was just outside Munich, came up with the idea of brewing an extra hearty beer to sustain them through the Lenten period. The trend caught on, and other breweries began producing these brews, also known as Doppelbocks. They’re still available today, and the tradition of naming them with an -ator suffix after the original “Salvator” brewed by Paulaner makes them easy to identify. A number of Munich’s breweries hold fests in honor of these calorific and potent brews, the most famous of which is Paulaner Nockherberg’s Starkbierfest. For three weeks, the venue hosts parties featuring Oktoberfest-style bands and culinary specialties of the season. While many evenings are sold out already, places remain available on several dates from March 12-April 2. Online: paulaner-nockherberg.com

Other Strong Beer festivals taking place in Munich include those at the Augustiner-Keller (Saturdays through April 1); the Löwenbräukeller (March 10-11, 15-18 and 22-25) and the Donisl tavern, where Hacker-Pschorr beers are poured (March 10-11, 17-18 and 24-25). Online: tinyurl.com/yckwppd5

Laetere carnivals

Laetere Sunday, celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent, is considered a day set aside for rejoicing within an otherwise austere period. Falling on March 19 in 2023, it’s also the Sunday on which a number of Belgian communities traditionally hold their carnivals. Cities and towns with some of the most charismatic of celebrations include Stavelot, where the white robed, long-nosed Blanc-Moussis are stars of the show (online: laetare-stavelot.be/en) and Andenne, where the “Carnaval des Ours” sees thousands of people in bear costumes parade through the streets and tiny bear effigies get tossed from City Hall’s balcony. In Fosses-la-Ville, it’s the shimmery, colorful costumes and twirling dances of the folkloric characters known as Chinels that give the carnival its special flair. Other communities with Laetere carnivals include La Roche-en-Ardenne and Tournai.

Burning of winter

The tradition of bonfires to symbolically burn away the vestiges of winter persist throughout pockets of Europe. The towns and villages of Austria’s Vorarlberg region keep up the custom with their “Funken,” bonfires accompanied by music and fireworks, on the Saturday and Sunday immediately following Ash Wednesday (Feb. 25-26 in 2023). Online: tinyurl.com/3e8z2ufs

The town of Bouge, Belgium, close to the Walloon capital of Namur, is also the site of a tremendous bonfire set alight to mark the arrival of spring, followed by an impressive display of fireworks. The event begins this year at 6 p.m. on Feb. 26. Online: tinyurl.com/vdkzjya3

Residents of towns throughout the Duchy of Luxembourg also mark the first weekend of Lent with massive bonfires known as Buergbrunnen or Fêtes des Brandons, an attempt to put the worst of winter weather behind.