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Aalst
Overview
Aalst is in East Flanders, Belgium. A medium-sized town by Belgian standards, with a population of around 77,000 people. Aalst is between the larger city of Ghent (Gent) and the capital, Brussels.
Facts
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Source
WBP almanac
External sources
Media
From Wikipedia55 words
WBP editorial3
Carnival culture beyond the parade
Aalst’s yearly carnival is a living laboratory of Belgian satire; the humour is deliberately coarse, reflecting the city's historic role as a trading hub where dockworkers and merchants rubbed shoulders. For visitors, the real insight lies in the neighbourhood cafés where locals rehearse jokes in the local dialect, known as “Aalster”. Sitting with a glass of lokal bruin, you’ll hear stories about how the carnival’s “Voil Jotta” float tradition evolved from a 19th‑century guild competition. Engaging with these informal sessions offers a nuanced perspective on how communal identity is performed and preserved, far beyond the televised spectacles.
A walk through the textile legacy
While the city’s industrial past is hinted at in its skyline, the subtle remnants of the once‑thriving linen trade are best explored on foot. The former mill alley, now a pedestrian corridor, still bears the original brickwork and sluice gates that powered the cloth‑washing basins. Pop‑in to the small museum tucked behind a modern office block; it houses a collection of hand‑loom samples that illustrate the shift from domestic weaving to mechanised production in the early 20th century. Comparing these textures with the sleek design of today’s boutiques illustrates how Aalst has re‑fashioned its heritage into contemporary creative spaces.