Young people like to celebrate carnival, but they don’t really feel like building their own float. As a result, the parade is in danger of disappearing in some villages. In Bladel they have successfully reversed this negative trend. The youth there are busy carpentry, gluing and welding. With a little help from the municipality.
Work is going on in the construction hall of youth carnival association De Koekwauze. They want to participate in no fewer than three parades with their carnival float. “We have won some great prizes in recent years. In previous years we even took first and second place,” says Bram van Limpt of the board proudly. “But the most important thing are the pleasant moments in the construction shed. There is no price for that,” he adds modestly.
Carnival subsidy
The construction shed looks like an ant’s nest, where all members aged between 13 and 27 are busy building. “Bladel’s arrival was dying down,” says councilor Wim van der Linden. His voice barely rises above the crackle of a welding machine. “We are now trying to encourage youth to help build.”
The municipality does this with a special subsidy fund. As a result, carnival associations with at least 10 members who are younger than 21 years old can receive around 500 euros. They must then participate in at least one parade in the municipality of Bladel. “The 500 euros does not cover the full costs of a car, but is mainly intended to keep people going.” There are already 12 carnival associations in Bladel that have applied for the subsidy this year. “The groups can do whatever they want with the money, as long as it contributes to the quality of the car.”
Car costing 15,000 euros
The Koekwauze can use the money. “You want to build more beautiful and better every year,” says Bram. But building a carnival float is expensive. “This car costs about 15,000 euros,” says Bram. The subsidy from the municipality is therefore warmly received. “That money goes to paper, steel, the engines in the car, air hoses and so on.”
Bram notices that if more beautiful and larger floats participate in the parade, the youth also become more enthusiastic to help build. “The youth standing on the sidelines think I want that too. We have gained young people who now help and really enjoy it.”
One of them is Milan Meijer. At 13 years old, he is the youngest member of the carnival group. He is diligently sticking paper mache. “I like it, being busy on the weekend,” he says.
“I had once walked in a parade and often stood next to the side looking at the floats.” That inspired Milan to roll up his sleeves himself. “I registered and now I’m stuck here. And now we hope that we win the first prize,” he concludes.
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