Carnival of Aalst
| Carnival of Aalst Aalst Carnaval | |
|---|---|
The edition of 2024, Koesjkesmietingk (Meeting of baby carriages) | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Carnival |
| Date(s) | February or March |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location(s) | Aalst |
| Country | Belgium |
The Carnival of Aalst (Dutch: Aalst Carnaval, Brabantian: Oilsjt Carnaval) is an annual three-day event in Aalst, East Flanders, Belgium. The carnival is celebrated in the days preceding Ash Wednesday. It is mainly a street happening; the celebrants dance on the town squares and visit café after café.
The carnival was recognised as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, but was removed in 2019 amid controversy over the use of antisemitic stereotypes during the carnival and in its promotional materials, in addition to previous controversies. It was the first time anything was removed from UNESCO's Intangible Heritage of Humanity list.