Discover how carnival is celebrated in Aalst! After reading this blog you will know where you can enjoy the festivities. Want to get the most out of your trip to Aalst? Play a City Game in Aalst.
The carnival in Aalst is celebrated every year for three days. The locals take care of the preparations. The festivities and traditions are marked by the following events:
- the symbolic proclamation of Prince Carnival as mayor of the city,
- the parade of giants and Bayardo
- the legendary horse of Emperor Charlemagne
- the dance with brooms on the site of the central market
- the parade of young people dressed as women wearing corsets
- baby carriages and broken umbrellas
- the ritual burning of the effigy of Carnival
Aalst Carnival Parades
During the carnival there are two main parades. The first parade is held on Sunday. That is, it is the first of the whole celebration. The atmosphere of this parade is much more serious, because during the whole day only scoring of floats and presentations are made. Each group is categorized into small, medium and large groups. These categories are limited by the number of members, with the maximum number of members for small groups being 45, for medium groups 60 and for large groups 100.
Carnival groups have costumes, music and floats, regardless of whether they are small, medium or large groups. Smaller groups generally have somewhat more humble presentations, but no less colourful or impressive.
The Broom Dance
The Dance of the Brooms is the most traditional event of the Aalst Carnival festivities. This ritual is a folkloric ceremony that takes place on Shrove Monday and functions as a plea to the gods for favorable weather and a good harvest. At the same time, the whole ritual is also considered as a ceremony to scare away evil spirits. The dance consists of a kind of march where the participants move in a very animated way with two small brooms in their hands. These characters have small bells that ring as they move. The whole presentation is accompanied by musical pieces of a band of winds and drums.
Catching the Golden Onion
Onions are one of the characteristic elements of the carnivals. The image of the onion is due to a kind of pun with which the residents of Aalst are called. In addition, it is also due to the fact that many years ago they had a huge onion production in the city. The citizens decided to take these mockeries and turn them into a symbol of the carnival, so now it is always present on these dates.
The onion toss is one of the most anticipated activities during carnivals. In this event, the carnival prince and committee members throw packaged candies the size of an onion from the town hall. People must catch as many of the candies as possible, which each have an identification number. Each onion has a number allotted to it and this number is redeemed for a prize, which is usually a trinket. However, there is one onion that is sought after by all: The Golden Onion.
This onion is special, as the prize for finding it is not just any trinket, but a ready-made piece of jewelry. Every year, the city offers the creation of the piece to a jeweler, who has a different theme each year. In addition, this unique piece is a commemorative jewel and can cost up to 1,000 euros or even more. This piece is unique, so you will not be able to get another one like it anywhere else.
Go to Winterfoor
The Winterfoor is an attraction that is usually put on during the carnival festivities. It is a mechanical amusement park mainly for children. However, it also has some attractions for adults. In total, the entire enclosure has 110 mechanical attractions and several food stands. It is definitely a must if you go with small children or are looking for some alternative fun.
Watch the burning of the Carnival Effigy
On the last day of the festivities there is a custom of burning a large carnival dummy. This ceremony is known as Popverbranding. The Carnival Prince is the one who must start the burning, while people gather to watch the big event. This burning symbolizes the end of the festivities. Even though it is a celebration, many people are saddened because it means that there will be no more parties for another year.
Celebrate Carinval in Aalst
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Discover like a local! How carnival is celebrated in Aalst
After discovering Aalst with our City Game it is time to enjoy the quiet. In which of these carnival traditions will you participate? Let us know in the comments below and go check it out!