Binche Carnival, Binche, Belgium (4 March 2014). On Shrove Tuesday, the local Gilles parade through the centre of town. This is the only day of the year when the Gilles wear their elaborate costumes, including brightly decorated shirts and trousers (the shirt is stuffed with straw), and wooden clogs. Preparations begin around 3am, with guests …
Doudou (Ducasse de Mons), Mons, Belgium (14 June 2014). The Doudou is a traditional festival held in the town of Mons, on the weekend of Trinity Sunday, in which a large, elaborately decorated gold casket said to contain the relics of St Waudru is paraded through the town, and culminating in the ritual combat with, …
Aalst Carnival, Aalst, Belgium (2 March 2014). The Carnival in Aalst is one of the largest and most vibrant in Belgium, with a tradition stretching back some 600 years, and attracting up to 100,000 spectators. Preparations for the carnival last for several months, and the spectacular floats and elaborate costumes are often bitingly satirical in …
Stall selling food at the Christmas Market on the main square in Krakow, Poland (7 December 2013). Krakow’s old city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its huge main square (Rynek Glowny) is the largest medieval town square in Europe, measuring some 200m x 200m, its centre dominated by Europe’s oldest commercial cloth …
Cest is d’Best, 17th International Street Festival in Zagreb, Croatia (6 June 2013) Canadian duo The LOL Brothers perform on Zagreb’s main square, Trg bana Jelacica (Jelacic Square) Felicity Footloose (left) and Leopard Man (right) Mr Qwirk performs on Trg bana Jelacica To license these images or view more images from Cest is d’Best, the …