Weekend Tips: Giant Parades, Chicken Throws & Celebrating Female History
Londerzeel, Belgium – A unique tradition is drawing international attention to the small Flemish town of Londerzeel.This weekend, the annual Kiekenpootsworp (chicken leg throw) will take place, alongside a vibrant procession featuring a giant figure. The event, scheduled for Saturday evening at 7 pm, sees approximately 2,500 individually packaged chicken legs launched into the crowd. Each package contains a note redeemable for a whole roast chicken, with a lucky white note awarding the finder a golden jewel.
The tradition, organized for 45 years by a local Order during the September fair weekend, stems from Londerzeel’s history as a hub for chicken farming – a past that earned its residents the nickname ‘Kiekenplukkers’ (chicken pluckers). The event’s growing fame was recently highlighted on Chinese television, following a segment featuring Belgian Lucas Deckers on September 1st on Radio 1, introducing the tradition to a new audience.
Beyond Londerzeel, this weekend offers diverse cultural experiences. In Brussels, initiatives are spotlighting female heritage, while in Borgerhout, giant parades continue a long-standing tradition of community celebration.
