Aalst Carnival

Aalst Carnival turns central Aalst into a dense, moving celebration shaped by costumes, satire, and public gathering rather than a single venue. The energy concentrates around the historic core of Aalst, with the Grote Markt, the city centre parade route, and nearby public squares in central Aalst carrying much of the procession viewing, crowd buildup, and spillover street life across the February festival window.

Late morning and early afternoon bring the parade buildup as spectators gather in central streets and carnival groups assemble, with foot traffic thickening between the Grote Markt and the surrounding core. In the afternoon, attention locks onto the main procession along the city centre parade route, where crowd density rises and movement slows. By late afternoon and evening, the formal viewing pattern loosens and the celebration spreads into public squares in central Aalst and nearby streets. After dark, the center shifts toward bar-heavy socializing, costume crowds, and packed walking routes, while the final day keeps the festive rhythm going even if the intensity changes by hour and program.

What makes Aalst Carnival special is that Aalst does not merely host the celebration. The city itself becomes the celebration.

During Aalst Carnival, eating happens between parade viewing, square-to-square walking, and late evening time in the historic core, so the most practical choices are filling local staples and handheld snacks you can grab without leaving the center for long. Must Try:

• frites
• waffles
• Belgian beer
• stoofvlees
• sausage snacks