Flower parade Loenhout, Bloemencorso Loenhout
Although the village of Loenhout has only a few thousand inhabitants, every year they organize the largest flower parade in Belgium. People work for several months on preparations and process more than 4 million dahlias for floats
The village of Loenhout (part of the municipality of Wuustwezel) has just over 4,000 inhabitants, nevertheless, since 1952, every second Sunday in September the largest flower parade in Belgium is held here.
The preparations take three to four months, during which hundreds of volunteers from the neighborhoods meet under big tents to build a frame. They eat together, drink hectoliters of coffee, laugh and strengthen the good- neighbourly relations. The basic structure from papier-mâché should be completed by the end of August at the latest.
On Thursday or Friday before the parade they start attaching flowers on the cars. There is plenty of work; they process more than 4 million dahlias. Some use glue, others staples or small nails – to push easily the staples through the surface many attach a coin to their thumb with adhesive tape. If they happened to run out of flowers of a certain colour, no problem, each team has its "merchant". Instead of using alternative material, they try to find the right flowers by trading or slightly modify the design.
On Saturday, local radio broadcasts live from various tents; and those who want to see how the massive works of art (in average, 8 metres high and 14 long) are created, can visit the locations.
Many continue working hard until Sunday morning, then run home, change clothes and go back - to drag or push their float and enjoy the well-deserved applause of the audience. More than 17,000 people visit this event every year...
Loenhout is located in the north of Belgium, on the border with the Netherlands. The bus from Antwerp did not even reach the village, it was already closed, and the cars were parked in the surrounding meadows. The streets were crowded with stalls with all sorts of goods - delightful wicker garden decorations or complete trumperies. There were also some food trucks offering a wide variety of delicacies, I didn’t resist typical Belgian fries with mayonnaise. Then I went to find a good spot, because the locals were already sitting in front of their houses, sunbathing and looking forward to the show.
The parade began at 2 pm. First, there was some advertising, the clowns gave ice cream to the small viewers; then the children's carts appeared. Well, of course, the youngest generation must be involved too to get used to traditions. We saw floral piano, yellow submarine, octopus, scouts, Aladdin ... but also, believe or not, some turds pulling a toilet bowl. I couldn't believe my eyes! :) Later even latrine walked past us, where the resulting brown product was “sitting" on the pole and smiling cheerfully.
I was amazed by a group of exemplary marching geese. In front, there was a girl who led them; at the back, a man with drums, setting the rhythm. The geese looked as if they were used to showing off in front of the audience and marched nicely in line, one - two, one - two. At first I thought they would be some "mechanical toys"; but no, the grey birds were real! Well, hat off, I haven't seen anything like this yet :)
One small car was coming in a zigzag way, as if the driver had a glass of wine before the ride. When it came closer, I found out that it was full of water. The motorist had a mouthpiece in his mouth and was not at all distracted by the fact that orange fish were floating around him. Suddenly something banged, the car began to smoke, and it sprayed us all with water! Thankfully, my camera wasn't hit…
Then, finally big floats started to appear on the scene. There were 32 of them, alternating with marching bands, majorettes and other artists. They were beautiful, colourful and gigantic. Some I could understand, others not - I had to read an explanation in the program. I liked most the wandering cassette recorder called “Back to the 80s”, playing old disco hits; tasty looking yellow-purple sushi and mummy coming out of the sarcophagus.
But also the “Vikings”, “Columbus's egg”, gigantic hands with cars (“Vroom vroom”), a broken mower around which little folks swarmed (“The gnomes will do it”) and a car adorned with big colourful blooms (“Say it with flowers”). The toilets could not be missing here either, this time the cabins defaced by vandals (“I was here”).
When the floats passed the village for the second time, the jury announced the winner – a scene called “Big”. Somewhere in the future, a disaster occurred, which led to the disappearance of many peoples and civilizations. Strangely, it had a different effect on animals, they grow into huge proportions. Food stocks are running out low, but hunters managed to catch a giant pig and now they proudly carry it through the village...
At 5.30 pm, vehicles parked at the Sportcomplex de Dorens exhibition centre and stayed there until Monday evening so everyone could see them up close....
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