Summer Carnival

The Summer Carnaval (Dutch: Zomercarnaval) is a yearly event in the Belgian city of Kortrijk and the Dutch cities Rotterdam, Bentelo and Arnherm that mimics the Carnivals of Latin America and the Cape Verde Islands. In the cold, Dutch climate Carnival often is held in the winter. This climate does not lend itself for celebrating carnival in the Latin American and Cape Verde manner, whereas the Summer Carnival does. The Arnhem Rio on the Rhine has attracted more than 150.000 visitors, while the Rotterdam event attracts nearly a million visitors yearly. Summer Carnaval is often compared to Karneval der Kulturen (Berlin) and Notting Hill Carnival (London).
==Zomercarnaval Rotterdam==
The first Zomercarnaval Rotterdam was held on August 4, 1984. From 2004 to 2007 the event attracted around 900.000 visitors.Zomercarnaval 2004, haine.nl900.000 mensen bezoeken Zomercarnaval, goodtimes.org
Although the street parade attracts the most visitors the Zomercarnaval is a multiple-day event. A week prior to the street parade the new Queen is elected in the official Zomercarnaval Queen Election.Queen Election, zomercarnaval.nl On the Thursday after the election the Zomercarnaval Beach Party is held at the Stand aan de Maas, a small beach created in the city center of Rotterdam. Several brass bands and DJ's show up and the newly chosen Queen is also present.Beachparty, zomercarnaval.nl On Friday evenening the Battle of Drums is held, an event in which several brass bands compete against each other to be named the official Zomercarnaval brass band and earn a spot in the parade the day after as well as in the Notting Hill Carnival in London. The preliminaries for the Battle of Drums are held at the Dunya Festival in Rotterdam.Battle of Drums The street parade which is always held on Saturday features brass bands and thousands of dancers.
It all started relatively small in 1984 when it was named the Antillian Summer Carnival. Year after year more and more people got interested, including people with other heritages, which resulted in the name change to Zomercarnaval.Straatparade, zomercarnaval.nl
In 2007 the Rotterdam carnival made an agreement Samenwerking Zomercarnaval en Carnavan Londen, goodtimes.org with the Notting Hill Carnival for the exchange of brass and steel bands.
==References==
==External links==
* Official website Rio on the Rhine -Arnhem
* Official website Drunken Dropkes -Bentelo
* Official website Summer Carnival -Kortrijk
* Official website Summer Carnival -Rotterdam
Category:Carnivals