Like in many other countries around the world, carnival in the Netherlands is a cultural tradition that goes back to the Middle Ages, and some say even to pagan rituals to celebrate the end of winter. Whatever the roots, it is a vibrant cultural practice that manifests itself in the Catholic areas of the southern provinces. In big cities like Maastricht, Roermond, Helmond, Breda, Tilburg, Bergen op Zoom and ’s Hertogenbosch carnaval has become a big urban street party attracting lots of people from the North as well. But particularly in small rural villages, the festivities bring together virtually the entire community. High point of carnaval is the parade in which small performances alternate with impressive oversize floats, the product of many months of collective grassroots art making. The creative processes start as early as August and are conducted in secret in farm barns until the final carnaval weekend, right before Lent. In the video below you can see an impression of one such parade in the small village of Alphen, located just a few kilometres above the Belgian border south of Tilburg. An interesting aspect of this parade is that in economic terms it is fully community-supported through local sponsorship from families, shops and small businesses.

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