‘Agge Mar Leut et’: Krabbegat is preparing for rejuvenated parade

“Kopke n’onder in De Leut”. That’s the motto of 2025. That is why you see fish everywhere, seahorses, fishing divers and even oxygen lessons and snorkels. Some are jellyfish.

Large cars from the city drive through the streets. But participants also come from outside the city: from Halsteren, Lepelstraat, Welberg, Hoogerheide and Huijbergen. Between all the splendor groups and individuals and live music of mop orchestras.

The procession has more than fifty songs for participants. But there are actually many more. The tradition determines that the parade starts with the ‘Offiesjeel section’. Among other things Speketee,, ” The Boereploeg,, ” The Narrekes and the fire truck of spray 11.

Children’s parade
After that, the parade participants normally come, but that is different this year. The children’s procession also drives along. Only on the last part, from Zuivelplein to Kaai. With children from 7 to 13 years old. Details are not known. The organization announces ‘a fun and musical procession’.

The children’s parade is known in many Brabant villages and towns. Primary schools often organize the parade on the Friday before carnival.

Bergen op Zoom has an age -old carnival tradition. In Brabant there are a few places that already had carnival in the Middle Ages. Ancient chronicles speak of parties in the 12th century in Den Bosch, among others.

Castle
Rob van de Laar wrote the book ‘Carnaval’. In it he reflects on the earliest written mention of the party in the current Noord-Brabant: the year 1362. In that year they already celebrated carnival at the Zevenbergen Castle.

Bergen op Zoom certainly knew it in 1413, according to an account to a flute player. In that 15th century, more evidence dives from, among others, Breda and Grave.

The feast of the parties was also less visible for a while because Protestant rulers and the Catholic Church were opposed. It went underground in clubs. After the Second World War, the public carnival lived en masse throughout Brabant.

The characteristics of Krabbegat? The red handkerchief and keel. Southwesters and lampshades and hats full of vegetables that remind us of the time of the many gardeners. And old gauze masks, even mandatory in the parade.

The most striking are the traditional white net curtains. Because in the past there were no party shops and people had less money for a party. The advice then: otherwise just get you ‘Gerdines“But from the window.

Witch
In addition to ‘normal’ protagonists such as Prins, Nar and the largest farmer, there are Speketee: de pliesie ,, ” Mien d’n Osthe goat, the crow and Wana de Witch. And then there is the decorated tower of the Peperbus.

Alaaf? They certainly do not say that in Bergen op Zoom, but also not in Roosendaal and Den Bosch. Here it is: Agge Mar Leut et. Lately you often see it abbreviated as amle! And indeed, that’s just like Yolo: You only live onceyou only live once.