‘Closer to Brabant’ is the theme of the 65th Brabantsedag in Heeze this year. The theme refers both to Brabant poets and poems and to ‘the typical Brabant feeling’.
To compete for the three prizes to be won, the sixteen wagon groups will explore this theme using a work by a poet from Brabant as their inspiration. The poem must not come from contemporary poetry but must have been published at least 50 years ago by a poet born in the Duchy of Brabant, a region straddling the Dutch Belgian border. It is up to the wagon-building groups to be moved by such a poem and translate it into a spectacle that is catchy, poetic and stimulating for the spectator. And above all: the feeling of historic Brabant must be conveyed.
Stimulating the imagination
Brabant has a rich history in poetry. To make the selection process a little easier, the groups can draw from a specially compiled book of poetry. Frank van Lierop, head of the Theme Committee, explains the choice of theme: “Certainly poems have contributed to the preservation of art and culture. Traditions, religious prayers, political beliefs; it was all recorded in poetry. In addition, poems allow you to convey emotions, ideas and experiences in a concise way so that they stimulate the imagination. And let that be something the wagon builders and actors of the Brabantsedag also do like no other. We are convinced it will be another fantastic parade!”
The week before the spectacular theatre parade also offers many activities worth checking out. The parade is traditionally on the final Sunday in August, the culmination of months of creativity and hard work. The programme booklet explaining the idea behind each float is also in English so this is an event for international families to see and enjoy.
Source: Stichting Barbantse Dag
edited by Greta
