The very last day of the fair of 2022 has arrived in Tilburg on Sunday. Fair councilor Maarten van Asten looks back on his first edition with a very good feeling. “No incidents, no riots and no firefighters seen.”
“I’m still standing with a big grin from the adrenaline”, Van Asten beams. He has just looked back from the palace hall in the town hall on the past nine days, in which he was at the helm of the Tilburg Kermis ship for the first time. “If I have to sum it up: summery, busy and pleasant.”
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“My highlight? In a literal sense, that is of course the free fall,” laughs Van Asten. “But other than that it was really pink Monday.” The annual pride celebration is also by far the busiest day of the ten-day event. That makes that day the most exciting for the municipality, explains the alderman.
“From the moment the Pink Monday Express arrives at the station, we have to pay close attention to everyone’s safety. But it went super and it beautifully shows the color palette of Tilburg. One day there are drag queens walking through the streets here, the next Every day we are in church on Sunday morning for the funfair church mass. Everything can and comes together, that’s great to see.”
The municipality of Tilburg has not kept accurate visitor numbers for a number of years, but there was certainly no shortage of people. The bicycle sheds, streets and beer hall were packed with lovers of haunted houses, cotton candy, beer and slush puppies.
In addition, this year the municipality has focused on attracting a different target group than the Tilburger with a strong stomach and a preference for camel races. “This year we have worked on the ‘festivalization’ of the fair, by sticking an open-air cinema and a puppet show against the fair. In this way we hope to appeal to a few more people than just the specific fairground enthusiast.”
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