Colors of Namur - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Namur lives a rich cultural life holding a lot of interesting holidays and festivals throughout the year. Some bright celebrations transform the city beyond recognition. At the end of September, the time comes for the traditional Walloon Fair where local farmers and artisans present their best products. Street concerts and performances, as well as children's activities, are necessarily organized within the framework of the fair. For tourists, this event is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the gastronomic traditions of the region and buy all sorts of unique handmade souvenirs.

The Walloon Fair has an unusual symbol: it is customary to celebrate drinking the popular alcoholic drink “peket”. By its method of preparation and qualities, it resembles gin. They use juniper berries to produce the traditional drink. Its name comes from the word "pèke", as they call juniper in some provinces. In fact, peket is a grain alcohol, and there are several factories for its production in the vicinity of Namur. Flavored with juniper berries, the drink has a rich taste and aroma. Small bottles of this drink are among the most popular tourist souvenirs.

The most unusual regional holiday is Les Echasseurs Namurois. Its name can be literally translated as the “Joust on Stilts”. The tradition of this holiday was born at the beginning of the 15th century. Since then, it has been annually organized on the third Sunday of September. The name of the holiday fully reflects its essence: representatives of two teams fight on stilts in the main city square. The winners of the unusual contest are awarded with the main prize - the Golden Stilt. Local people came up with such an unusual holiday in order to amuse the Belgian kings in the past, but now it is held just to honor a good historical tradition. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

One of the youngest holidays in Namur’s cultural calendar is the Festival Nature Namur. This festival is dedicated to environmental topics. A lot of thematic events, one way or another relating to environmental issues, are held within its framework. The festival is attended by film directors who present their films on nature and the environment. In recent years, the festival has held many interesting contests for achievements in the study of nature, as well as new discoveries in the world of plants and animals. It would be interesting to visit Namur and witness this event for all those who are not indifferent to the beauty of wildlife and want to contribute to its conservation.

Namur residents are distinguished by a friendly and welcoming attitude to foreign guests, they are always happy to show their cultural traditions. Guests of Namur should take into account that the townspeople are very proud of their Walloon origin and consider the traditions of their native region to be the most genuine and beautiful. For this reason, one should never compare their lifestyle and culture to the culture of other regions of Belgium - such comparisons can offend them.

The family has always been the main value for local residents. Throughout the year, they celebrate many exclusively family-oriented holidays. A compulsory attribute of such holidays is a rich table laid with everyone's favorite treats and traditional dishes. Speaking of social values relevant to the city, it is worth noting the value of a good education. Absolutely everyone is eager to get it, and the royal colleges are considered the most prestigious.

Gastronomic traditions are another interesting part of the regional culture. Recipes for the preparation of some dishes have remained unchanged for hundreds of years. Even now, in the age of modern gastronomy, local residents prefer simple and familiar "peasant" food, even though gourmet restaurants are widespread in the city. It is definitely worth noting the local people's love for beer, which is considered the main national drink. The number of beers produced in Wallonia is in the hundreds, many local restaurants and bars have private breweries. In Namur, beer lovers will have the opportunity to participate in thematic tours, visit the legendary breweries and see how the legendary Belgian beer is made with their own eyes. It will be interesting to visit Namur on the eve of Christmas and New Year when the city is filled with a festive atmosphere and traditional fairs.