Craziness in Antwerp

Crazy things happen in Antwerp.

Last week we saw that the city was preparing for an event in the parking lot a block from our house. The parking lot is commonly used to host events, especially in the summer. During June and most of July, it is used for the Sinksenfoor or carnival. Next weekend, it is being used for the Bollekesfeest or De Koninck beer festival.

While we were out to dinner on Saturday, our waiter told us that it was for an event called Antwerpen Zingt or Antwerp Sings. He also told us that they were expecting about 30,000 people. We thought is was going to be similar to an American Idol type concert with performers. Not quite.



The Stage



We went down to check out what was going on at about 8. The parking lot was already packed full of people. We were given a small newspaper by people standing at the entrances. Then the craziness happened. We were told to open our papers to the first song. There we found the lyrics and everyone started singing to the music. Yes, it was a huge sing-a-long. It was weird and crazy but fun and it was hard not to join in even though the first few songs were in Flemish. Then we sang the Beatles, Hard Days Night. More Flemish songs, then John Denver, Country Roads. And it went on and on until about midnight.

This events has definitely one of the strangest we have seen in Antwerp.