The faces in Hapert look like thunder. The municipality of Bladel has banned the fair for the next two years to a meadow near the mill. About five hundred meters from the Markt. According to the municipality, this is better for the atmosphere and there are fewer incidents. Hapert thinks differently about this. “The fair is a village festival and that belongs in the center.”
Tom Wilborts, owner of café De Gaopert, looks over the Markt. “Normally there should have been a fair here in a few weeks. But unfortunately it has been moved to the side of the village. We think that is a great pity. We agreed with the municipality to set up a tent next to the fair to make it a great event.”
Recently, however, there was a letter from the municipality on the mat. The fair will be moved to the site near the mill for the next two years, was the message. “The reason is that the catering industry and entertainment are separated from each other. Kermis is a village festival and you celebrate that in the center of the village,” says Wilborts.
“The fairground feeling will disappear”
He thinks that this choice will make the fairground feeling disappear. “We used to go to the fair with the whole family. The adults sat on the terrace and the children had fun at the fair. We will miss the flashing lights, oliebollen and the smell of freshly baked fish.”
The cafe has received a permit to place a party tent if it is the fair in Hapert from 18 to 21 June. “We are going to make it a great party with Mart Hoogkamer, Jan Biggel and Mental Theo on the program. I hope that someone in the municipality will still stand up who still wants to keep the fair in the center. Because that’s where the fair belongs .”