"Ghent Holidays" - ten days of various festivals, which bring together millions of people in the Belgian town. This is one of the largest and most loved events in all of Europe, during which you can see many cultural events and find entertainment for all tastes.
The history of the "Ghent Holidays" began back in 1843, when the first festival was organized in the suburbs of Ghent. A little later, the celebration was moved to the city center, and all festivals by the decision of the city government were combined into one long-term holiday, held once a year. During the world wars, the celebration of the festival was canceled, and with their completion, the interest in the "Ghent Holidays" among the local population was somewhat lost.
However, since 1969 the festival has been reborn. And this time it became even more popular and attracted the attention of tourists from other countries. The reason for this is the street musicians who gathered together in the main square of Ghent and gave interesting and unusual concerts.
Today, within the framework of the "Ghent Holidays", a large number of cultural and entertainment festivals are presented, among which there is a festival of dance and jazz music, a humorous and circus festival, theater and many others. More than 1.5 million people visit "Genstkiye Holidays" every year, and St. James Square is still the heart of the festival.
The celebration of this event begins on Saturday, which precedes July 21 - the National Day of Belgium, and continues for 10 whole days. Its coming is announced by a special herald, and the very first event of the "Ghent Holidays" is a parade of all its official participants, during which the central streets of the city turn into a continuous pedestrian zone.
The festival program is represented by a large variety of concerts - from classics and jazz to modern electronic music. You can also see the performances of the puppet theater and street theater, get to the costume ball and watch the cabaret performance. Free performances include ethnic and alternative rock concerts and discos. And the festive events end with a fabulously beautiful fireworks display.
