Zedelgem Celebrates Return of Giant Parade After Nine-Year Absence

Zedelgem, Belgium, is celebrating the return of its beloved giant parade after a nine-year hiatus. The folkloric procession, which normally takes place every three years, was last held in 2011. Previous editions were canceled due to storm damage in 2014 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, making this year's event the third in its contemporary form.

This year's parade features an impressive 61 giants, including five from Zedelgem itself and dozens of guest giants representing approximately 20 different municipalities. The nearly 1.5-kilometer procession is led by the traditional town crier and accompanied by four fanfares and brass bands, winding through the streets of Zedelgem village.

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Its clothes were eaten. After the previous parade, they were stored somewhere, but rats got to them and gnawed the original costume to pieces. A big effort was then made in a short time to make a new costume, and it just succeeded.

A last-minute scramble ensured one of Zedelgem's own giants, Lautje, could participate. "Its clothes were eaten," explained Mayor Annick Vermeulen, referring to an incident where rats damaged the original costume after it was stored. A significant effort was made to create a new costume just in time for the parade.

While Zedelgem welcomed giants from across West Flanders and even from further afield, the largest contingent came from Turnhout, with 19 giants. Looking ahead, the town plans to adjust the parade's frequency. "The preparation requires a lot of time and resources," the mayor stated, suggesting that organizing the event every four years would allow for more thorough planning and execution.

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The preparation requires a lot of time and resources. If we organize it every 4 years, more time will be freed up to do it well.