Zomercarnaval in Rotterdam

by Jordan Yerman | July 29, 2007 at 12:16 pm

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This weekend saw the explosion of sound and color that is Zomercarnaval (Summer Carnival) inn Rotterdam. Drumming, beach parties, parades, and the election of a Summer Carnival Queen. According to event organizers, "Unlike many other 'Miss contests', the Summer Carnival Queen Election isn't only about being beautiful. As ambassador of Summer Carnival the Queen represents the festival on several occasions. Therefore eloquence and knowledge of Summer Carnival and it's cultural inheritance are equally important."

The growth of Summer Carnival, both in size and quality, meant that the city of Rotterdam then embraced the event. Any one thinking of New Orleans, thinks of Mardi Gras. Pictures of Summer Carnival are increasingly featured in promotion material for the city of Rotterdam. Everyone is proud of this event. It is festive, colourful, proud and a protest - all at the same time. Its form appeals to a wide audience. Increasingly, the designers of costumes are viewed as artists and the dancers as artistes. Summer Carnival transforms the city centre into the biggest stage in the Netherlands.
The media also perceive Summer Carnival’s attractiveness, so the event is published in newspapers and television far over the Dutch border. Not only in Western Europe, but also in South and North America and Eastern Europe.