The very first carnival parade in Brabant took to the streets again on Saturday. Traditionally, they are always the first in Wouwse Plantage a week before the real carnival. This year, the village in the municipality of Roosendaal has the first ‘normal’ parade since 2020. After that, the long corona time started.
“It tickles again,” says one of the organizers of the Mastepinneland carnival. He also sees the discharge that can be felt in more places in the run-up to Carnival in 2023. For years nothing was possible. Now it’s allowed again and it’s finally going wild again, is the feeling.
There were roughly between 2000 and 2500 viewers along the route, many dressed up. They came from all over West Brabant. Judging by the club clothing and their own colors from, among others, Roosendaal, Halsteren and Bergen op Zoom. The parade in ‘De Pin’ is always a regional celebration.
Tractor
Participants came with their cars from even further away: Dinteloord, Fijnaart, Ossendrecht and Woensdrecht. Some had made a day out of it. It is a few hours drive on the back roads with the tractor and a large car behind you that you still have to build on the spot.
They enjoyed the atmosphere, under a gray cloud cover. But it was dry with about seven degrees on the thermometer. Some residents had placed standing tables in the front yard and lawn chairs to watch the spectacle with a beer in hand.
King
There were 23 participants in the program booklet this year. That is similar to previous times. Local participants had created something around this year’s motto: You don’t know what you see. For example, there was someone who reflected on the high retail prices.
Another contestant drove around a large doll of the king on his throne and a red white blue flag hung upside down. Whether it was really an angry farmer activist or whether he played it was unclear.
The local construction club Hoevekestijn participated for the last time. They can’t find a building shed anymore. They built for 21 years and thus just missed the anniversary of 2 x 11 years. This was a final lap of honor.