The Ghent Festivities, along with Oktoberfest in Munich and Las Fallas in Valencia, are among the largest popular festivals in Europe. The more than 3,000 activities are provided by some 500 organizations and attended by more than a million people. Half of the festivities, such as musical performances and street theater, are free to attend. At night, the squares are filled with music lovers; during the day there are many children's programs.
Remarkably, the alderman (alderman) of celebration is in charge for ten days. This year, alderman Bram Van Braeckevelt was handed the key to the city at Ghent City Hall by Mayor Mathias De Clercq.
History
In 1843, the residents of Ghent organized a centrally organized festival for the first time to replace all the various fairs and neighborhood festivals that had existed for much longer. The Ghent city council's main goal was to limit the growth of local fairs and the associated work absenteeism. At the same time, they also saw tourism opportunities in the organization of one large festival. In an early form of "city marketing," they hoped that this event would not only attract affluent visitors who would swell the city coffers, but also improve the city's image.
As alderman for City Marketing of The Hague, Frits Huffnagel was inspired by the Ghent Festivals. Indeed, at the time he started The Hague Festivals together with the cultural world and the events industry in the hofstad.
Have the Ghent festivals achieved their goal? How do the festivals affect residents, businesses and visitors?
Residents
Today, residents greatly appreciate the Ghent Festivities. That wasn't always the case. In the 1950s, some residents fled the city during the festivities because of the monotonous offerings. Today, the offerings are very diverse. It creates city pride among residents. In 2021, the Ghent Festivities were recognized as Flemish Intangible Heritage.
Companies
For the city's economy, the Ghent Festivities are a welcome boost. Studies by the Catholic University of Leuven, among others, show that visitors spend many tens of millions of euros during the Ghent Festivities. Businesses other than the hospitality industry also capitalize on the festivities every year.
Visitors
Last year, the Ghent Festivities attracted more than 1.5 million people. The first 5 days of this edition have already brought some 850,000 visitors, this number stood at 740,000 after 5 days last year (Source: PZC). More and more people are coming to the Ghent parties, because the offer has something for everyone. The festivities have put Ghent on the map, making people eager to visit the city beyond these 10 days.
The Ghent Festivities have become an important cultural folk festival that continues to innovate and bring a lot of atmosphere to the city.