Living in Belgium, I try to get to know local costumes as much as possible and not to stuck in the bubble of the expats. I dressed like a German, putting on my Bavarian dirndle and dived into the celebrations.

The carnival’s history dates back to approximately the 14th century. No wonder it takes for 5 days and ends on the day of Mardi Gras, just before the 40 days of lent.

More than a thousand inhabitants of Binche dress up as one of the four characters involved in the festival: The Peasants, the Harlequins, the Pierrots and the Gilles. The central figures are the Gilles, who wear a spectacular costume. Every male from Binche can become a Gille regardless of his age but needs to keep in mind that it is a lifelong commitment. 

As the region used to be under Spanish rule, local peasants mocked the rich costumes of the Spaniards. This mockery turned into a carnival tradition and successfully survived until today and become the main tourist attraction of the city.

However, they could work a bit on the garbage disposal. After only day 1, the city looked like one big landfill of waste.

Is this the Italian influence?