Carnival for beginners
From the 11th of the 11th until 'Ash Wednesday', the people of Venlo celebrate everything that makes life beautiful. For many Venlo residents, carnival is the best party of the year! Are you coming to celebrate carnival in Venlo too? Great! The more, the merrier. Before you immerse yourself in all the 'fun and frolic', here's a beginner's lesson on carnival.
What and when?
Vastelaovend is the Limburgish dialect for Shrovetide: the evening before Lent, the fasting period before Easter begins. A Catholic tradition that, in short, comes down to: letting loose before we have to endure 40 days. There are only a few Venlo residents who fast between Vastelaovend and Easter, but the tradition of celebrating is still very much alive. Vastelaovend is officially celebrated on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, exactly 7 Sundays before Easter. Since we in Venlo can never get enough of celebrating Vastelaovend, we already start in the city center on Friday afternoon.
Princes, princesses and a devil
Before carnival officially kicks off, there are already parties and balls in all districts of Venlo. For example, Velden celebrates 'Crazy Monday' and each district has its own carnival association that appoints its own prince or princess. Most associations appoint a trio: a prince or princess with two aides. Only in Steyl do they do it slightly differently: there they appoint devil Vors Lucifer. The princes, princesses, and the Steyl Vors Lucifer all have the same role: wherever they go, they ensure an even bigger party! Venlo, Tegelen, and Belfeld share a special tradition: the 'farmers' wedding'. In Tegelen and Belfeld, the wedding takes place on the Saturday of carnival, and in Venlo on Tuesday.
Singing together
During carnival, you hear 'carnival songs' all around you: songs in the dialect that are specially made for carnival. Some songs are more than a hundred years old and have been passed down from generation to generation. Unlike the Brabant carnival, our songs rarely talk about breasts and beer. Venlo carnival songs are about love, friendship, farewell, regret, happiness, and all other things that are part of life. Music connects, especially during carnival. So study a few carnival songs before you come to Venlo!
From day to day: carnival in the Venlo city center
Head to the city center from noon and experience how carnival slowly starts. Take your time to get your 'Venlonaerkes' (drink tokens) and get in the right mood. Tip: don't go all out immediately because you still have a few days to go!
On this day, we share our city with the rest of Limburg during the Boètegewoeëne Boètezitting (extraordinary outdoor session). Visit the Parade for a series of performances by artists from across the province. You will find the true Venlo citizen on Saturday at the Kwartelenmarkt during the Blauwe Zaoterdaag.
In the afternoon, the children's parade moves through the streets of the city center. In the evening, the Parade is dedicated to the Joekskapelleparade. A 'joekskapel' is a brass band that plays 'vastelaovendleedjes'. Some bands are more musical than others, but that doesn't spoil the fun: dancing and singing are guaranteed.
The day of the grand parade! The moment many carnival associations have worked towards all year. Enjoy beautiful floats, costumes, colors, and music through the streets of the Venlo city center.
On the last day of Carnival, a wedding takes place! After an extensive breakfast, the people of Venlo parade to the town hall, where in the afternoon a group of farmers and farmeresses unite a bridal couple in a mock marriage. Exactly at midnight, Carnival is concluded at the Market in front of the town hall. The city prince and his adjutants then remove their hats and are serenaded by the crowd.
What should I wear?
The most important thing is shoes that you can stand in for a long time and "sjoenkele" (sway to the music). Wear something that makes you feel comfortable. Put a hat on your head, apply some makeup or glitter to your face, and you're all set! Anything goes, as long as there's respect for each other's history and culture. And are you attending a "boerebroélof"? Then wear your best farmer's outfit, otherwise you'll stand out!
