Flanders to celebrate Community Day with dancing in the streets and music in the air
Friday 11 July marks the annual Day of the Flemish Community. The day features a wide range of festivities across Flanders, including music and dance performances, as well as numerous local events.
The Day of the Flemish Community is an official public holiday in the Flemish region of Belgium, and is informally celebrated in French Flanders. Cities and municipalities organise public celebrations, concerts and community events around this date. Many households and local authorities also display the Flemish flag.
The festivities in Antwerp culminate in the evening with a free open-air concert called Vlaanderen Feest! on the central Grote Markt. Broadcast live on the VRT 1 public TV channel, the event features artists such as Camille, Jelle Cleymans, Raymond van het Groenewoud and Sam Gooris.
Earlier in the day, a more formal ceremony is held at Schoonselhof cemetery, where notable figures in Flemish history are buried. This includes a commemorative service and the presentation of the Golden Spur award. Acting mayor Koen Kennis and prime minister Bart De Wever will give speeches.
The Ancienne Belgique concert hall in Brussels will host the Brussel Danst Dance Battles, while a nearby street between library Muntpunt and opera house La Monnaie will play host to a Roller Skate Jam.
Time to sing along
In the evening, the city’s Grand Place will play host to Singalong in Symphony, where singers such as Ronny Mosuse, Stijn Meuris and Loes Van den Heuvel will perform classic Flemish songs alongside international choirs and musicians. Audience members are encouraged to sing along.
More than 200 events are planned throughout Flemish cities and towns, from Voeren in the east to De Panne on the coast. Full details are available on the event website.
The Day of the Flemish Community commemorates the Battle of the Golden Spurs, which took place near the town of Kortrijk on 11 July 1302. In this historic clash, the Flemish militia, largely comprising townspeople, craftsmen and farmers, defeated a French cavalry force on the Groeningekouter battlefield. The battle takes its name from the numerous golden spurs that were recovered from fallen French knights afterwards.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ
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