Belgium, a country full of history and modernity, has many unique festivals and celebrations every year, making it an ideal travel destination for culture lovers.

Stavolo Carnival

Stavolo Carnival is one of the most distinctive carnival events in Belgium. The Stavolo Carnival is held every March and dates back to the early 16th century. On March 22, the penultimate Sunday before Easter, in the small town of Binche in Stavelot, eastern Belgium, Carnival, which has lasted for more than 500 years, was held as usual.

Creepy, identical wax masks, giant ostrich feathered hats, confetti in churches and orange-throwing objects: The medieval Banche Carnival (or Banche Carnival) was unlike any other festival in the world.

UNESCO's recognition of the Banche Carnival, one of the oldest surviving street carnivals in Belgium, with roots dating back to the present day, its true origins are still unknown. It is well known that the costumes, rituals and customs have changed little since the 14th century, prompting UNESCO to list the Banche Carnival as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.

While the previous night's parade was dominated by fireworks and light shows, the real drama was this afternoon's "Men in White" parade. People taking part in the carnival celebrations were covered in bits of paper. Not only do people spray colored paper to add to the fun, but participants in the parade usually wear white robes and masks with red noses.

In addition, some parades in other costumes have also become the focus of attention. Revelers dressed as "men in white" hold pig bladders as they take part in a carnival parade. People dance and celebrate by beating the head of a roadside girl with a blown pig bladder. The revellers were covered in scattered bits of paper.

The excited townspeople descended from their houses to the streets at exactly two o 'clock in the afternoon. After the colorful float, the carnival protagonist dressed in white sheets, wearing a flesh-colored mask, dressed up in the sky carrot nose appeared.

The stiff-faced figures, with carrot noses and bright red lips, appeared in droves to cheers from the crowd of onlookers.
The origin of the "man in white" is actually quite allusive.

In the Middle Ages, the town's weathering was so free that monks could celebrate carnival in the streets. This freedom was suspended in 1499 when the ruler of the small town of Stavolo banned the monks from taking part in the carnival.

In order to oppose the ban, local residents donned monk clothes and participated in a parade to protest. This tradition has been maintained since the 16th century.
Today, the white-clad people of Stavolo are noticeably less aggressive and angry than the marches of four or five centuries ago, carrying "percussion sticks" made from inflated pig bladders in one hand and throwing colorful scraps of paper into the sky in the other.

Passers-by, led by them, danced impromptu dance steps, laughing or screaming. On the uphill cobblestone road, the revelers on both sides of the crowd you push me, white people holding pig bladders around beating pedestrians, some visitors flee everywhere, some take the initiative to meet up.