Above the rivers, February is quiet. Below them, whole cities dress up in outrageous costumes and party for days. Carnaval is the Catholic south’s great blowout before Lent, and cities like Maastricht (where it is called Vastelaovend) and ‘s-Hertogenbosch (renamed Oeteldonk for the week) go all in with parades, oompah brass bands, packed pubs and dancing in the streets.
You do not need to be local or Catholic to join in, but you do need a costume. Turning up in normal clothes is the one real faux pas.
- When: officially Sunday 7 to Tuesday 9 February 2027, with many towns starting on Saturday 6 February or earlier
- Where: across Limburg and Noord-Brabant, with Maastricht and ‘s-Hertogenbosch among the biggest
- Tickets: the street celebrations and parades are free
- Getting there: direct trains run from Amsterdam Centraal to ‘s-Hertogenbosch (about 1 hour) and Maastricht (about 2.5 hours). Trains are crowded, so allow extra time.
Good to know: parade times differ per town and are published by the local carnival societies nearer the date. Book accommodation early.
Planning your year? See everything on the events calendar.
