Fun and festivities in Belgium - celebrations, festivals and cultural events

Belgians are unique people. By their number of different holidays and festivals, Belgium firmly holds the lead among European countries. Every year, about 2000 of various festivals, holidays and processions are celebrated and organized here. In Belgium, residents are very careful about their own culture and history. As a result, it is customary in the country to celebrate many festivals with historical roots. That is why Belgian holidays are full of different traditions and customs. But besides this one, as well as the holidays considered official, in Belgium, they also celebrate purely national holidays and dates. Belgian holidays are characterized by mass open festivities, noisy carnivals, processions with songs and dances along the canals.

Christmas night in Belgium is special. When nature fades away, the things which are peculiar signs of the rebirth of life begin to have special meaning. In this regard, it is customary to bring into the house evergreens or representatives of the flora, which come to life in winter. On Christmas, they like to tell legends. In order to scare them away, people fumigate their houses with juniper smoke as well as pass in processions with burning torches or candles all the way around the house. The Belgians also blow a special horn. On the next day of the holiday, it is customary to attend theaters and concerts and to spend the evening in a restaurant with relatives and friends. A lot of tourists come to Belgium to witness the February carnival in the city of Binche. On the first day, costume marches are held in massive numbers to the city. The next day, round dances are seen in the town square, and fireworks are displayed. The third day is usually the most interesting. Celebrants wearing national clothes and wax masks walk through the city streets and throw oranges at passersby. According to the beliefs of the Belgians, if a person catches this fruit, he will be lucky.

In April, the Belgians hold carnivals in La Louviere and Stavelot. The festival of folklore is also celebrated in this month in Leuven. On the night of April 30th to May 1st, on the eve of celebrating the holiday of spring and labor, the Belgians during the witch dance burn the effigy of winter. On May 13th in the city of Ypres, there is a parade of cats. It was first held in the year 1955 and has been held annually ever since. In the Middle Ages, cats were considered to be a symbol of evil. The killing of cats was at the time believed to redeem the people from their sins, so the unfortunate cats were thrown down from the central city tower. But today instead of real animals, stuffed animals are flying down in their place. All participants in the action are dressed in costumes and emblems of these cute animals. May 19th starts the celebration of the holiday Doudou. It is celebrated into the whole of the next week. The Belgians celebrate Doudou in honor of the victory over the plague. The tradition of this holiday goes deep into the 14th century, when, after a religious procession in the city of Mons, the disease receded. Solemn events begin with a procession through the streets of the city, with participants dressed in costumes of the medieval era. Doudou ends with the staged battle of St. George and the dragon. Many centuries ago, the dragon broke into the city streets, but he was defeated by St. George. Since then, each year a procession led by the chariot of the saint makes a circle around Mons, after which the staged battle of the dragon with St. George takes place. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

At the beginning of summer, the Belgians celebrate Father’s Day, which has become the equivalent of Mother’s Day. The main motive of the holiday was the desire to emphasize the role of the father in the family and also in raising the offspring. On June 23rd and 24th, a historical reenactment of the last battle of Emperor Napoleon against the allied army takes place in Waterloo. Participants are dressed in costumes of the early 19th century. Everywhere here you will see a lot of historical props, weapons, and items of a bygone era. During the reenactment, visitors will be able to learn interesting information about weapons, life in bivouacs, watch the preparation of food on fire using old recipes, and shoot at targets. On July 21st, a military parade is held on the main square of the capital in honor of Independence Day. After its completion, folk festivals begin, where artists of various arts perform. The holiday is brought to an end with large fireworks. In mid-August, the Flower Carpet Festival is held in Brussels. As part of this holiday, volunteers prepare a carpet of fresh flowers on the Grand Place Square. The finished live web extends 75 meters in length and 24 meters in width. Amongst the fragrance of flowers on the square, a musical concert is held.

In mid-October, an international film festival is held in Ghent. Its inaugural history dates back to the year 1974. This festival usually lasts 11 days. The cinema and music interaction has become the primary specialization of the festival. Since 2001, composers who have written soundtracks for films are conferred awards during the festival. November 15th is when the Belgians celebrate the Feast of the Dynasty. Established by the second monarch of Belgium, Leopold II, this day is celebrated in honor of St. Albert, who is considered the heavenly defender of the royal family. The day of the royal dynasty became a symbol of the unity of the Belgians. During this holiday, numerous discussions about the role of the monarchy in the modern life of the country are held throughout the country.