The annual Krakelingen and Tonnekensbrand festivals, recognised as UNESCO World Heritage since 2010, will take place this Sunday in Geraardsbergen.
The celebrations begin at 15:00 with the historic parade starting at the Hunnegem Church.
Around 1,000 participants, including local associations and schools, will perform scenes depicting 25 centuries of the city’s history. This year’s theme is “Geraardsbergen unites”.
Notably, the traditional ritual of drinking live fish will not be held this year due to current animal welfare regulations. The ritual involved city officials drinking wine with a live fish as a symbol of new life. The city council has promised an alternative, though details remain undisclosed.
After the parade, attendees will head to the Oudenberg for the Krakelingen toss, during which 5,000 bread rolls will be thrown to the crowd. One specially marked roll will contain a note redeemable for a golden replica.
At 20:00, the Tonnekensbrand will take place, where a straw effigy is burned to mark the end of winter.
