Kattenstoet in Ypres

Kattenstoet in Ypres

The Ypres “Kattenstoet” which would be literally translated as the Ypres’ “cat procession”, occurs every three years and is a very popular event in Ypres. This parade is devoted to cats; it continues a tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages. In the original festival during the middle Ages, cats would be thrown from the Belfry tower to the town square below. Why this was tradition was carried out is unclear, some believe it is because cats could have been believed to have possessed witch-powers in the Middle Ages, others believe that the cats were glorified during the middle ages and therefore this activity would symbolise their divine power.
Symbolically reviving this practice for the parade festivities, a jester tosses plush cats from the Cloth Hall belfry down to the crowd, which waits with outstretched arms to catch one. The throwing of the cats from the belfry is followed by a mock witch burning.

Participants in the festivities often dress as cats, witches, or townspeople from ages past.

The next kattenstoet will take place on Sunday 13 May 2012
It is free to stand anywhere around the procession-route apart from the “Grote Markt” where a price of €20 per ticket is required.
If you want to watch the procession from a grandstand, you can buy a €15 ticket.

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