Carnival of Binche
Carnaval de Binche
On UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Photo: Henri Picot, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
For the three days before Lent, the small Walloon town of Binche belongs to its Gilles — up to a thousand men in wax masks and wooden clogs who dance from dawn to drive away evil spirits and, crowned with ostrich plumes, throw oranges to the crowd.
The Gilles
Binche lies south of Brussels in the province of Hainaut. Each year, during the three days before Lent, carnival takes over its historic centre and draws crowds of visitors; it is the best known of several carnivals held at the same time across Wallonia. Its first written records date from 1394, and UNESCO proclaimed it a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2003.
At its heart are the Gilles, performers who first appear in written sources in 1795 as masked characters in revolt, at a time when masks had been forbidden under the Napoleonic regime. Up to a thousand of them take part, customarily men, aged from three to sixty, and being a Gille is an honour local men aspire to. They wear costumes in red, black and yellow, wax masks and wooden clogs.
Dawn, feathers and oranges
On Shrove Tuesday the Gilles gather in the centre of Binche from dawn, dancing to drums and warding off evil spirits with bundles of sticks. Later in the day they put on tall hats of ostrich feathers and march through the town with baskets of oranges, which they throw to — and sometimes at — the crowd. The oranges are considered lucky, as a gift from the Gilles. On the Sunday before, many of Binche’s inhabitants spend the whole day in costume.
When it happens
The carnival’s main days are the Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, in February or early March; preparations and street performances begin up to seven weeks earlier. The Gilles appear above all on Shrove Tuesday.
- February 7 – 9, 2027Calculated
- February 27 – 29, 2028Calculated
- February 11 – 13, 2029Calculated
- March 3 – 5, 2030Calculated
Visiting with respect
Good to know
- An orange from a Gille is a gift and brings good luck — never throw it back, which is considered an insult.
Stay safe
- Oranges fly hard and fast on Shrove Tuesday; some residents seal their windows. Protect your camera and watch out.
- Pickpocketing is common in crowded places in Belgium. Keep valuables secure.
Sources
This entry was written from the following sources.
- Carnival of BincheUNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage · read September 17, 2026
- Carnival of BincheWikipedia · read September 17, 2026
- Belgium travel advice: safety and securityUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · read September 17, 2026
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Carnival of Venice
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