Almost half of the people of Brabant think that a carnival cracker can also come from outside carnival provinces Brabant or Limburg. This is according to research by Kieskompas, commissioned by Omroep Brabant. “This is only good, because many carnival crackers come from above the rivers,” says radio presenter Maarten Kortlever of Omroep Brabant.
“I expected that we, as Brabanders, would be a little more chauvinistic, but that is not so bad. If one gets a good carnival feeling with a song, it doesn’t matter where it comes from, “says Kortlever.
Dirty Jack and André van Duin
Kortlever lists a number of artists from above the rivers who have written successful carnival crackers. “André van Duin is of course an icon, but also dirty jacket is not a Brabander. Former football trainer Barry Hughes and his squatters ‘The Kikkerlied’ and I want a room-wide carpet on my head. More recently, you have Jopie Parlevliet or comedian Richard Groenendijk who has called carnival songs such as’ s effe on. ”
“There are still many others who participate and understand the carnival feeling, but do not necessarily come from Brabant. If you can convey the feeling and make a good squatter, then it doesn’t matter where he comes from, “says Kortlever.
Yet there are also several carnival crackers who do come from the carnival provinces, says Kortlever. “Think of ‘you have a moment for me’ from Frans Bauer. But also father Abraham, Wim Kersten with the ‘flower curtain’, Ria Valk, Arie Ribbens, De Doorzakkers, Chef Soldaat, Johnny Purple and so on. ”
Music during parades and in the pub
During the research by Kieskompas, it was also asked which music Brabant people prefer to listen in the pub or during the parades. About half of the participants think that during the parades only carnival music can be played, but in the pub we are more tolerant for other types of music.
Kortlever understands that people are more open to other music in the pub. “In the big cities, where students also live who celebrate carnival, it becomes a mishmash. There the youth can celebrate carnival with, for example, other types of music. The older Brabander wants to hear more carnival music, while the young people also like it if Top40 of Dance hits are played, ”says Kortlever about this.
With the parades it is different and Kortlever understands that people prefer to hear carnival music. “Because it’s a carnival party. Just as you want to belong to a 90s party music from the 90s. This is carnival, that includes carnival music. It is only a few days a year, so many people want to hear that. Even though it is a nice song, it is a damper on the party joy when suddenly a Top 40 stunner comes in between. That doesn’t fit.
Carnival research
The results are based on research by the Kieskompas research institute. The investigation was conducted between 14 and 20 February 2025; 1279 people from Brabant participated. The results are weighted on gender, age, education, migration background and voting behavior in the parliamentary elections in November 2023, so that the results on these characteristics are representative. More information about the implementation of the research is here to be found.