Scharnaval

History

The story of Schaerbeek's public celebrations starts with a kermesse tied to a pilgrimage to the St. Catherine and St. Cornelius Church in Diegem, about five kilometres away. During the 1800s, this pilgrimage naturally included a kermesse, and some of its operators decided to stay in Schaerbeek while waiting for spring markets to open elsewhere. They set up mainly around Place Colignon and the St. Servatius Church, boosting local trade.

By the late 1800s, some operators stopped going to Diegem entirely, and Schaerbeek became a stopover for pilgrims. In his 1884 book Kermesses, writer Georges Eekhoud noted how pilgrims from Brussels often ended their journey at the local kermesse near the newly built church. Back then, the Colignon area was still lightly developed, featuring horse-driven carousels and food stalls, with the kermesse running for about three weeks each April.

Over time, this event became linked to a carnival procession held at the end of March. The first such parade took place in 1894, organised by the Comité de la Presse Schaerbeekoise to support charity. In 1902, local merchants formed the Cercle des Intérêts Matériels de la place Colignon, renamed a year later to Cercle place Colignon-Attractions, to promote business. This group put on an annual parade that brought together local shops and raised money for causes like Le bon lait pour les petits.

As the area grew more urban, the kermesse lost its connection to Diegem and became its own event. Noise and hygiene complaints from residents pushed the municipality to think about moving it to spots like Rue Général Eenens and Rue Metsys. The attractions were temporarily shifted to the Chaussée de Haecht, but by the early 1900s they had returned to the area around the town hall and Place Lehon.

Did You Know?

• The winner receives the keys to the city and leads the main procession wearing a green-and-white costume with a wooden marotte featuring a donkey’s head.