Plan Aalst Carnival 2027 for Sunday 7 to Tuesday 9 February 2027. The big parade with satirical floats rolls through the city centre on Sunday, Monday brings the onion throw and a second parade, and Tuesday belongs to the Voil Jeanetten and the burning of the doll on the Grote Markt. Take the train, because Aalst station is about half an hour from Brussels and Ghent and the centre is closed to traffic. Book a bed early or stay in Ghent or Brussels, dress for the cold and agree on a fixed meeting point with your group. With tens of thousands of people in a few streets, the mobile network gets busy, so send messages instead of making video calls and upload your videos later. Below you find the full programme, the parade route, how to get there and how to stay reachable.
Aalst Carnival 2027 dates and programme
Go on Sunday for the big parade, on Monday for the onion throw and on Tuesday for the Voil Jeanetten. Carnival in Aalst always ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which falls on 10 February in 2027:
Day | What happens |
|---|---|
Sunday 7 February | The main parade with carnival groups, floats and a jury, from the afternoon until late in the evening |
Monday 8 February | The Gilles broom dance and the onion throw from the town hall balcony on the Grote Markt, followed by a shorter parade from around 14:00 |
Tuesday 9 February | The Voil Jeanetten, men dressed as women with a fur coat, a pram and a lampshade on their head, and in the evening the burning of the doll on the Grote Markt |
During the onion throw, the prince and the carnival committee throw thousands of wrapped sweets into the crowd, and one golden onion holds a prize. The carnival officially closes on Wednesday morning. Check aalstcarnaval.be for the exact start times, which are published closer to the date.
The parade route
Watch the Sunday parade anywhere along its route of about 7 kilometres through the centre, which passes the Grote Markt, where the crowd is densest. In 2025 it started on the Majoor Charles Claserstraat and ended in the Molenstraat. Since 2026 the route no longer passes through the Koningin Astridpark but follows the Koolstraat all the way to the N9. From 2027 the floats also pass through a construction tunnel at the Sint Jozef church, which is why their maximum height dropped to 4 metres.
The parade draws a huge crowd: a record 110,000 people came on Sunday in 2025, and about 50,000 braved the snow in 2026. Look for a spot along the route away from the Grote Markt if you want more room, and arrive early if you want to see the floats up close.
Getting there by train
Take the train, because the city centre is closed to traffic and parking fills up fast. Aalst station lies on the line between Brussels and Ghent, with direct trains taking about half an hour from both cities, and the station is a short walk from the centre. In 2026, the national railway company NMBS added extra trains on parade Sunday and offered a discount on tickets for the event.
Option | Good to know |
|---|---|
Train | Extra trains on parade Sunday, check the NMBS app for the last train home |
Bus | De Lijn runs an adjusted timetable during carnival |
Car | The city usually sets up park and ride shuttles on the edge of town, so avoid driving into the centre |
Where to stay
Book early, because Aalst has only a few hotels and they fill up months in advance for carnival. Ghent and Brussels are good alternatives with far more choice, and the train gets you to Aalst in about half an hour. Plan your return on Tuesday night carefully, because many people stay until after the burning of the doll.
Safety tips for carnival
Dress for February: the 2026 edition was the coldest and snowiest in years, and first aid teams treated several people for early signs of hypothermia. A few simple habits keep the day safe:
Agree on a fixed meeting point and time in case you lose each other
Write your phone number on a card in your child's pocket
Keep your phone and wallet in an inside pocket in the crowd
Drink water between drinks and eat something warm
Call 112 in an emergency, which works on any available network
Why the mobile network gets busy in a crowd
A mobile antenna can only handle a limited number of users at the same time. When tens of thousands of people stand in a few streets and all post photos, videos and stories at once, they share that same capacity. Messages arrive late, videos fail to upload and calls drop, even with full signal bars. Operators often add temporary antennas at big events, but the busiest moments, such as the parade passing the Grote Markt, still put the network under pressure.
Stay connected for all three days
Check before carnival that your data covers three days of photos, videos and messages. With Firsty, there is no SIM card to swap, no roaming setting to remember and no surprise bill. Have a look at the Firsty eSIM plans for Belgium, including a plan with more data if you film the whole parade. Every connection Firsty sells also connects someone in Belgium who needs it, not as charity, but as how the business works. Things are moving, so keep an eye on what Firsty is building and discover more at Firsty.app.
FAQ
When is Aalst Carnival 2027?
Aalst Carnival 2027 takes place from Sunday 7 to Tuesday 9 February 2027. The main parade is on Sunday, the onion throw and a second parade on Monday, and the Voil Jeanetten and the burning of the doll on Tuesday.
What is the route of the Aalst Carnival parade?
The Sunday parade covers about 7 kilometres through the centre of Aalst and passes the Grote Markt. Since 2026 it follows the Koolstraat to the N9 instead of passing through the Koningin Astridpark. The official route for 2027 is published on aalstcarnaval.be.
How do I get to Aalst Carnival by train?
Take a direct train from Brussels or Ghent, which takes about half an hour. NMBS adds extra trains on parade Sunday, and the station is a short walk from the parade route.
Where can I park for Aalst Carnival?
Avoid the city centre, because it is closed to traffic during the parades. The city usually organises park and ride shuttles from the edge of town, and the train is the easiest option.
What are the Voil Jeanetten?
The Voil Jeanetten are men from Aalst who dress up as women on carnival Tuesday, with a fur coat, a pram and a lampshade as a hat. They fill the streets in the afternoon, before the burning of the doll closes the carnival in the evening.
Why does my phone have no internet in a big crowd?
A mobile antenna shares its capacity among everyone connected to it. When tens of thousands of people use data in the same streets, messages and uploads slow down or fail, even with full signal. Send messages instead of calling and upload videos later on wifi.
How much mobile data do I need for carnival?
A carnival day with photos, a few videos and messages uses about 200 to 500 MB. Watching Stories or uploading many videos can push that much higher, so turn off automatic backup and upload at home.
