In collaboration with
Omroep Brabant
NOS News••Amended
The municipality of Den Bosch and carnival association De Oeteldonksche Club want to get rid of the ‘festival atmosphere’ that has arisen in Oeteldonk during carnival in recent years. Carnival should once again become the traditional folk festival of solidarity, they believe.
The municipality and the Den Bosch carnival association have noticed that the city has become increasingly busy during carnival in recent years. Last year it was so busy at times that the municipality called on people not to come to the city center anymore. Several areas were also closed off.
“After corona, we have seen that carnival has become more of a festival and we want to get rid of that,” Mayor Mikkers told Omroep Brabant. By now making it clear what carnival in Den Bosch really stands for, the municipality hopes that visitors looking for a ‘normal party’ will ignore the city.
‘Festivalization of carnival’
Jeroen Dona of De Oeteldonksche Club sees many influences creeping into the city that, in his opinion, are too far removed from the traditional carnival: “We want to counter the festivalization of carnival. It is a popular festival that you celebrate on the street with Oeteldonk music. If we all put on that smock, we are all equal.”
One of the things that the municipality and the carnival association want to put on the agenda is to determine on which day carnival starts in Den Bosch. There are currently numerous unofficial carnival activities on the days before carnival, and they want to get rid of that.
“The festival of farmers and dry is what we want to celebrate,” Dona summarizes the plans. “If Prince Amadeiro had wanted to hear après-ski music, he would have gone skiing.” Mayor Mikkers wholeheartedly agrees with him. “If people are looking for a festival, après-ski or house music, they do not belong in Oeteldonk.”
Banana suits
According to the mayor and Dona, Carnival celebrants remain more than welcome in the city, provided they adhere to the city’s carnival rules. However, visitors who want to come to Den Bosch without a smock or carnival jacket do not have to worry yet.
According to Dona, there will be no signs at the station with the message ‘banana packs prohibited’. “But you don’t come to Oeteldonk in a banana suit, I think everyone knows that by now,” he says hopefully.
