Northern Carnivals

In Flanders, to celebrate the end of winter, the revelry is in full swing! It’s the Carnival! For many days and nights, entire populations of cities and villages like Dunkirk or Bailleul invade the streets. Joyous and colorfully attired crowds march to the rhythm of the brass bands. Join the carnival, where man, woman and child alike stroll about wearing outfits and makeup which flout convention; men dressed as women, women dressed as men, you might stumble across some incongruous situations… Laugh, dance, drink, and feast on fries served in huge paper cones, all the while watching the parade of floats and giants, iconic puppets of this festival rooted in ancestral tradition.