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๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ช Belgium /Culture & Society

Baby photoshoot on water lilies at Meise Botanic Garden is a big success again: 'Tickets sold out immediately'

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • The Meise Botanic Garden in Belgium hosted its 20th annual baby photoshoot on giant water lily pads.
  • Tickets for the popular event sold out within an hour, highlighting its high demand.
  • The garden limits participation to protect the delicate water lilies, which can be damaged after a day of photoshoots.

The Meise Botanic Garden in Belgium has once again seen overwhelming success with its unique annual baby photoshoot event, now in its 20th year. Parents eagerly booked spots for their infants to be photographed on the giant leaves of water lilies within the garden's greenhouses.

Children from 0 to 12 months can pose in our greenhouses on the leaf of a giant water lily.

โ€” Manon van HoyeA representative from the Meise Botanic Garden described the popular baby photoshoot event.

Tickets for this year's sessions were snapped up almost immediately, selling out completely within just one hour. This rapid sell-out underscores the event's enduring popularity and its status as a highly anticipated occasion for families. The garden staff jokingly referred to it as the "Tomorrowland for babies" due to the intense demand and swift disappearance of tickets.

Everything was sold out in 1 hour. That's why we call this the Tomorrowland for babies.

โ€” Manon van HoyeManon van Hoye explained the high demand and quick sell-out of tickets for the photoshoot.

Manon van Hoye, a representative from the botanic garden, explained the process, noting that babies aged 0 to 12 months can pose on the large water lily leaves. She described it as a special event for proud parents. However, due to the delicate nature of the water lilies, participation is strictly limited. The leaves can be damaged after a single day of photoshoots, prompting the garden to prioritize the preservation of its aquatic plants.

The places are limited because the leaves get damaged after a day of taking pictures, and we want to keep our water lilies intact.

โ€” Manon van HoyeManon van Hoye detailed the reason for limiting the number of participants in the photoshoot.

Van Hoye also reflected on the event's long history, pointing out that babies who participated in the very first photoshoot 20 years ago might now be young adults. The tradition continues to capture cherished memories for new generations of families.

This means that the babies who were at the 1st session are now 20 years old. Maybe there are now twenty-somethings who still have a photo of themselves on a water lily.

โ€” Manon van HoyeManon van Hoye reflected on the long-standing tradition of the baby photoshoot event.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.