German authorities had canceled at the last minute an annual Carnival street parade Sunday due to threats of a terror attack.

Police in the city of Braunschweig said they called off the parade less than an hour and a half before it was set to start, after receiving information of a threat of an attack by an Islamist group. 

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The event was due to start at about 12:20 pm local time. 

"Together with city officials and organizers we evaluated the information and then, at very short notice, decided to cancel the street parade," Police Spokesman Thomas Geese said. 

He also appealed for understanding as he called on the public to stay home instead.

"Many people arriving at the train station from out of town were already dressed up and very disappointed - but we didn't want to take any risks," Geese added.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said, the terror level threat is high and security officials are making sure information is scrutinized well.

The Braunschweig Carnival Parade is the biggest festival in northern Germany and is held in honor of the medieval custom.

Over 250,000 visitors from all over the country attend the festival each year.  Thousands of participants march down a six kilometer route, dressed in colorful fancy dresses.

Braunschweig City Mayor Ulrich Markurth had expressed regret over the incident saying the cancelation of the festival marked a sad day for the city.

Organizers and city officials had announced that the marching bands scheduled to participate in the parade, would just play instead at the city's town hall in the afternoon until the evening. 

Visitors and revelers were invited to attend.

Hours before the festival was called off, a man was shot dead by Danish police, on suspicion he was behind two deadly attacks in Copenhagen. 

But the German police had yet to prove the link between the attacks and the Braunschweig terror threat.

Tagscarnival festival, braunscweig, brunswick, terror attack