“Aperschnalzen” is a rhythmic cracking with whips ("Goaßln") that are over 4 metres long. Every team, named “Passen” is built of 9 persons. The purpose of the “Aperschnalzen” is to wake up spring and to banish winter.
Today it is also a competition between the different “Passen”. The Highlight of the “Schnalzerjahr” is the “Rupertigau-Preisschnalzen” that takes place on Sunday before carnival. More than 100 “Passen” take part on this competition. The best teams in the last few years comes from Wals-Siezenheim.