The sun has only just risen, but the music is already on the ‘can’t get any louder’ setting, chairs are at the side of the road and the whole of Nieuw-Schoonebeek has been cordoned off with ribbons for the parade of floats. The Volksfeest of Nieuw-Schoonebeek can be celebrated again after seven years and that is being tackled in a big way.
At 09:30, 45 large decorated cars and 50 decorated cyclists, mobility scooters and cars set out in the 19 kilometer procession along a decorated route. The whole weekend is full of festivities: wrong parties, events for children and the elderly, fairground and walking route with lights.
“We are also holding a neighborhood competition on Sunday,” says Saskia Schnoing of the board. “We are imitating the Eurovision Song Contest with the twenty neighborhoods of the village.” All neighborhoods have now recorded a video clip. A special act will be added on Sunday afternoon.
Normally the party is every five years, but because of corona it took two years longer before the Volksfeest of Nieuw-Schoonebeek could be held. “We had to wait and see if people were up for it this year, but the whole village has put in a lot of effort and the parade today was great,” says Schnoing.
The Volksfeest lasts until Sunday evening. The organization emphasizes that everyone is welcome.