Zinneke Parade

Background

The Zinneke Parade was established with the aim of connecting the many different cultures, communities and districts within Brussels. The director of the Zinneke Association, Myriam Stoffen, has talked about the desire to "build bridges" between these parts of the city. Indeed, Zinneke is a nickname chosen to represent a person from Brussels who was not born there (the opposite of ketje for a native local). The word means "mutt" or "bastard" in Brusselian dialect, and originally referred to the city's stray dogs that hung around the streets by the Lesser Senne (a tangent canal of the river Senne, which circumnavigated Brussels along the city walls) until the end of the 19th century (see covering of the Senne).

The organisers of the parade aim to work with a large variety of institutions, schools, cultural centres, organisations and societies. Residents work together with professional artists to create the ideas and prepare the projects that eventually make up the parade. Another characteristic of the parade that distinguishes it from many other parades or carnivals is that it is described as being "100% human" – music is performed live, without amplification, and there are no motorised vehicles.

History

The Zinneke Parade was created for the first time as part of Brussels 2000, European Capital of Culture, with the aim of organising a multicultural carnival, a creative and participative event "likely to reconcile the Brussels population with its identity". The Zinneke Parade was watched by 60,000 spectators in 2006. In 2008, over 7,000 people were involved with the parade, under the theme "Eau / Water" ("Water"), with 2,500 of these appearing in the parade itself.

The 2010 theme was "A table / Aan tafel" ("Have a meal" or "Come to the Table!") and was held in May. In 2010, the parade was accompanied by a group of puppeteers from Belgium, Ireland, Italy and France, who performed in a number of balconies overlooking the route of the parade. The participants in the parade formed about 25 zinnodes, groups of around 100 people each, which started from four squares in the city—the Place Fontainas/Fontainasplein, the Place Sainte-Catherine/Sint-Katelijneplein, the Place de l'Albertine/Albertinaplein and the Place d'Espagne/Spanjeplein—then met along the way.

The 2012 Zinneke Parade took place on 19 May 2012, under the theme "Désordre / Wanorde" ("Disorder"). It was viewable from 22 locations around the centre of the City of Brussels, starting at 3 p.m. from the Grand-Place/Grote Markt (Brussels' main square). The 2016 edition, with the theme "Fragil" ("Fragile"), took place on 21 May 2016. The 2020 edition, with the theme "Wolven ! / Aux loups !" ("Wolves !"), was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium.

Parade images

File:Zinneke Parade-2004-05-08--13-01-12.jpg|A parade float on the Place de la Bourse/Beursplein File:Zinneke-Parade-2004-05-08--13-38-02.jpg|Two participants posing on the Place de la Bourse File:Zinneke Parade-2004-05-08--16-06-57.jpg|Brightly-coloured stilt walkers on the Place de la Bourse File:Zinneke Parade in Brussels.jpg|Carnival-style dancer and processional puppets parading through the streets of Brussels File:Zinneke Parade 2010 9254.jpg|Colourfully-dressed musicians on the Grand-Place/Grote Markt File:Zinneke Parade 2010 9199.jpg|A human-powered vehicle on the Grand-Place File:Zinneke Parade 12014.jpg|A young participant in costume File:Zinneke Parade 12012.jpg|Participants with handcrafted accessories File:Zinneke Parade 12252.jpg|A participant with creative headgear File:Zinneke 2016 Soumonce Voorvertoningen 3.jpg|A group (or zinnode) in insect-inspired costumes File:Zinneke 2016 Soumonce Voorvertoningen 12.jpg|Colourfully-dressed mimes File:Zinneke Parade 2 Brussel.jpg|Two participants with blue costumes and face paint File:Zinneke Parade Brussel.jpg|Colourfully-dressed dancers

References

References

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2. Lindemans, Katrien. (19 May 2010). "Zinneke Parade". Flanders Today.
3. Catherine Wielant, ''La rue est à nous! Zinneke une parade créative à Bruxelles'' (in French), La Vénerie and Fondation Jacques Gueux, 2002
4. (2008-05-30). "Interview Myriam Stoffen, directrice Zinneke Parade". indymedia.be.
5. (2008-05-20). "Interview met Myriam Stoffen, directrice Zinneke".
6. (September 2025). "Zinneke Parade 2010". The Belgian Tourist Office.
7. Xavier, Cassiopea asbl - graphisme Pttl. Voir page mentions.. (September 2025). "Infos Pratiques : Zinneke Parade 19-05-2012 - Zinneke". zinneke.org}}{{Dead link.
8. Michel van Reysen. (2011-05-20). "Expo over thema Zinneke Parade 2012: 'Wanorde'". DeWereldMorgen.be.
9. "Zinneke Parade trekt na vier jaar opnieuw door Brussel".
10. "Zinneke Parade 2000". zinneke.org.
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14. "Zinneke Parade 2008". zinneke.org.
15. MatLa, ACTIC asbl - XavPei, Cassiopea asbl - graphisme Maiam . Voir page mentions.. "Phase d'évaluation - Zinneke". zinneke.org.
16. (September 2025). "Zinneke Parade 2012}}{{Dead link".
17. "Zinneke Parade 2014".
18. "Zinneke Parade 2016".
19. "Zinneke Parade 2018".
20. "Historique - Zinneke".
21. "Parade 2022 - Zinneke".
22. "Parade 2024 - Zinneke".