Carnival is just around the corner and just then insurers are tightening the rules. From now on, there may be a maximum of twenty people on a cart. This is a problem for some carnival associations. They have to come up with solutions at the last minute.
In Snevelbokkenland, Heeswijk-Dinther during carnival, the organization of the parade has its hands full coming up with solutions. “We find it quite complicated,” says Marianne van Berloo. “Although safety comes first, of course.”
Normally, one prince’s car is always included in the village parade, carrying the prince and his entourage. “But with 23 dance mariekes we have, that’s not going to work. We had to urgently acquire a second and perhaps a third car. Try to arrange that again.”
“With this rule it will be difficult.”
Van Berloo thinks it is a difficult situation, especially for young people. “Those cars are actually discos on wheels. The groups are often larger than twenty people. This rule will make it difficult. Then someone almost has to join us, but that is not good for the atmosphere either.”
A tightening of the rules was announced a few months ago. Measures were immediately taken in Boemeldonck (Prinsenbeek). “We already let our float builders know in the summer, so that they could take it into account,” says Robbert Janssen.
“We just have to deal with it.”
Despite the alertness of the organization in Prinsenbeek, Janssen still thinks it is unfair. “And that’s putting it mildly. The tightening comes of course from the flat champion carts with beer, but that is not the case with us. But we have to deal with it.”
One of the carnival clubs in the village is the Dwarsliggers. Jorrit Meeuwissen is one of the float builders. “We initially had more than twenty people on the car for the show. Others are more hidden and ensure that the dolls move.”
Thanks to the early notification from the organization of the parade, the club has been able to make the necessary adjustments. “We now have a lot less people dancing on the float. There are only ten people in the car. But if this becomes stricter, I don’t know how to do it.”
“A rented bus is a good alternative.”
In Schijndel, the Schorsbossche carnival association has found a solution for the prince’s car. “We have a double-decker that can accommodate the entire princes’ club and their entourage,” says Frank van Doremalen, Prime Minister of Schorsbos.
When the old prince’s car was worn out in 2019, the carnival association had to look for a solution. “Then a rented bus that we decorate ourselves is a very good alternative. Especially now. The bus is covered by a different type of insurance and so it can accommodate a few more people.”