The mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close, said that the Meyboom party will be maintained on August 9, in a live video on Facebook, Friday afternoon. However, the event will be organized slightly differently. As for the Midi Fair, we will have to wait until the end of next week to find out more, but the bourgmestre indicates that it is very likely that the fun fair will be canceled.
“For the Meyboom, we will find a ceremony, we will find something. It will not be the big tree, it will be a much smaller tree but something will crash on rue des Sables because there is also hope. Meyboom is that too, beyond the popular and folk festival“said Philippe Close.
The tree of joy
The planting of the May tree or the tree of joy (Meyboom or Meiboom) is a typical Brussels popular event that dates back to the 13th century. It celebrates the victory of Brussels over the city of Leuven.
To respect tradition, the tree of joy must be planted before 5 p.m. on D-day, rue des Sables in Brussels. The Meyboom has been recognized as Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco.
A mass event
Regarding the Midi Fair, on the other hand, the bourgmestre was less optimistic. “You heard it, mass events are suppressed until August 31“he replied in a video on Facebook.
“It is difficult to consider that the Midi Fair is not a mass event. So I think it will be very difficult for the Foire du Midi to be maintained. We will have the final answer at the end of next week because there is a new meeting of the National Security Council which will have to define what is considered a mass event“, he said.
–
