Belgium and Luxembourg (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

32 INTRODUCING BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG

BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG

THROUGH THE YEAR

SPRING

There may be a chill in the

air even as snowdrops and

daffodils emerge, and the odd

brisk snap can freeze canals,

pleasing skaters. Crisp sunny

days are ideal for visitors to

explore the cities on foot and

sample delicious Easter treats.

MARCH

Bal du Rat Mort (Sat, early

Mar), Oostende. The Dead

Rat Ball, a fancy-dress event,

named after a Montmartre

cab aret in Paris, has been

held for over a cen tury.

Mid-Lenten Carnival (4th Sun

of Lent), Stavelot. The Laetare

Procession has the traditional

Blancs-Moussis (White-Clad)

revellers in hooded robes

and long red noses.

Easter (variable), nationwide.

Child ren hunt for hidden

Easter eggs brought, accord-

ing to folklore, from Rome

by the church bells.

A riot of blossoms welcoming the

spring season at Serres Royales

The Holy Blood relic, carried through Bruges by two prelates

Musicians in medieval

costume at the Ommegang

SUMMER

With longer days and warmer

weather, summer has always

been the most favourable

time for pageants and pro-

cessions. These months are

busy with a variety of excel-

lent outdoor music festivals.

C

ome rain or shine,

Belgium has a robust

calendar of public

events. Some of these are

historical parades with

centuries of tradition

behind them and many are

connected to religion,

mark ing saints’ days and

other Christian festivals. Armies of

volunteers turn out in historic cos-

tumes and haul vast caricature giants

that represent biblical or mythological

figures around the streets.

New celebrations, parti-

cularly music festivals, are

also promoted with vigour

and become quickly estab-

lished. The summer months

in particular, are thick with

outdoor concerts performed

on stages erected in town

squares. The events are held in the

same spirit of public fun that

the Flemish artist Brueghel captured

in his paintings almost 500 years ago.

APRIL

Serres Royales (variable),

Laeken. The greenhouses of

the royal palace are open

to the public for 12 days.

Ronde van Vlaanderen (early

Apr), Flanders. One of the

five Monuments of European

professional cycling.

Gentse Floraliën (late Apr),

Ghent. This vast gar den

festival fills halls every five

years in Ghent, the heart of

the horticulture industry.

MAY

Hanswijk Processie (Sun prior

to Ascension Day), Mechelen.

Costumed parades accom-

pany a revered 1,000-year-

old statue of the Virgin Mary.

Processie van het Heilig Bloed

(Ascension Day), Mechelen.

An 800-year-old pageant cel-

ebrating the Holy Blood relic.

Kattefeest (2nd Sun, 2012),

Ieper. In the Midde Ages, cats

were thrown off the cloth-hall

tower. This is re-enacted once

in three years with cloth cats.

Kites International (early

May), Ostend. Demonstrations

by kite masters from all over

Europe take place at this

annual event.

Jazz Marathon (weekend,

late May), Brussels. Jazz fills

the city’s squares and cafés.

JUNE

Festival van Vlaanderen

(Jun–Dec), Flanders. The

region showcases its high-

quality music and dance.