“Bloed Zweet en Tranen” (Blood, Sweat and Tears) is the winner of Brabantsedag in Heeze with their float “From cruel winter to fertile spring”. The group won the overall classification with their float, in which they reveal the ancient roots of carnival. They also won the HWV audience award and a prize in the “theatrical performance” category. Vriendenkring Hopeloos finished in second place and the Lambekvrienden finished in third place.
According to the organisation, Blood, Sweat and Tears scored highly in all categories. “Make-up, use of fabric, subtle details such as flowers, cinematic music and lots of surprises. This float literally and figuratively gave us goose bumps”. The group depicted an ancient pagan fertility ritual and used their float to represent the transition from harsh winter to spring. ‘In just a few minutes, they told the history of carnival,’ said the jury.
This year, there were also three categories in which the participating groups could win a prize. Bloed Zweet en Tranen also won the prize for theatrical performance. ‘The emotions were truly palpable and the choreography was worked out in detail.
Vriendenkring Hopeloos finished in second place. Their float, which depicted carnival during the Second World War, was also a favourite with the public. They won this year’s Omroep Brabant viewers’ prize. Vriendenkring Hopeloos also won a prize for their design.
Textile industry
The Lambekvrienden finished third in the overall rankings. With their float “Kruikenzeikers door de wol geverfd” (Pissers dyed through and through), they told the story of the people of Tilburg who collected their urine in jugs for the textile industry.
The theme of the 66th edition of Brabantsedag was “Carnival Unmasked”. This was the first time that the organisers had pushed the boundaries, because comparing Brabantsedag to carnival is a no-no for the builders. But despite the theme, the parade was anything but carnivalesque. The builders told the history of carnival with their floats.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Vanya
