The Binche Carnival is one of Belgium’s oldest folkloric traditions. It is celebrated throughout the Central Region, but it is in Binche that it remains the most codified and traditional. The main characters of the carnival are the Gilles.
On Shrove Tuesday, a thousand Gilles parade through the streets of the town to the sound of drums and brass bands, consisting of trumpets, bugles, trombones, tubas, and sousaphones, as well as clarinets and pipes.
The Gilles costume comes from a popular theater character of the 17th century, with the straw bumps and white cotton cap probably originally inspired by the commedia dell’arte.
The “Binchois-style” carnival was recognized in 2003 by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
