Fasncht Day: Customers line up for fastnachts to celebrate Fat Tuesday

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — While people across the country are celebrating Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, many in our area look forward to a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition – Fastnacht Day!

Fastnacht means “feast night” – the feast before the fasting for Lent.

Every year, people line up at area bakeries on the day before Ash Wednesday for a taste of the sweet, doughy treats.

A local favorite is Haegele’s Bakery in Philadelphia’s Tacony neighborhood.

The German bakery only sells fastnachts twice a year.

Fastnachts are made with a two-part dough, then fried and finished off with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar.

The doors at Haegele’s opened at 5 a.m. for sales.