The yearly Tilburg Fair is starting today, and we are more than excited for a visit!
Tilburg is an underestimated gem of the Netherlands, and if this fair isn’t enough to convince you to give this lovely city a visit, nothing will be!
The Tilburg Fair, known in Dutch as the Vakantiekermis (which translates to holiday fair), is the biggest fair in all of the Benelux region- and if you ask us, it’s also the best. Yearly, it attracts more than one million visitors. It’s not hard to see why!
The fair has over 200 attractions, loads of booths with foods and drinks, music, and a generally great vibe. It’s perfect if you’re a family with children, but equally fun with a few friends after work. There’s something so nostalgic about being at a fairground: it always takes you right back to being a child, smelling the food cooking and hearing the screams of excitement from the rides.
How is the Tilburg Fair dealing with coronavirus?
We know, we know. How can a fair take place, given the current coronavirus crisis? Well, ever since July 1, fairs can take place as long as they get a municipality permit. 80% of them don’t manage to get one, but the Tilburg Fair has been given the green light.
Of course, that means some changes need to be made in order to ensure the safety of the staff and the many visitors. So while this year’s fair might look a bit different from usual, it will have all of the magic of the usual Vakantiekermis: just with some extra safety thrown in.
First, the fair will operate at a more limited capacity than usual. It will have only 55 attractions, instead of the usual number, which exceeds over 200 different attractions. Second, the fair will take place in four different squares around Tilburg, to ensure that no place gets too crowded. This will allow everyone to respect the social distancing rules while visiting the fair- and it has the added advantage of showing off the city of Tilburg. You can wander around the city, popping in and out of the different fair locations: honestly, that sounds like the best day trip ever.
So, what do you need to know before going to the Tilburg fair?
What should you consider before going? Entry to the four different squares is free, so if you are just curious and what to check the place out, don’t worry about paying an entry free.
| The festival will take place between this Friday, July 17 and until Sunday, July 26. The opening hours are as follows: Friday, July 17 15:00 – 23:00 |
The highlight of the Vakantiekermis: the Ferris Wheel
A must-see at the fair is the Ferris Wheel. Honestly, in our totally unbiased opinion, Ferris Wheels are the best part of any fair. Forget those twisty-turny-upside-down-screaming rides: a gentle spin with some scenic views is where it’s at (we know we sound like we’re about eighty years old here, but we’re also right).
The Ferris Wheel is located in Spoorlaan and will be there for two months. A ride on it only costs €2 for adults and €1 for children. Entrepreneurs from Tilburg will be able to use the Ferris Wheel for an art exhibit, or a dinner and drinks with employees. (Is this a reason to move to Tilburg in itself? Quite possibly.)
What else can you do on a trip to Tilburg?
Want to turn a visit to the Funfair into a proper day trip to Tilburg? Good idea, plenty to do there. How about some culture? There are some great museums in Tilburg and plenty of other cultural hotspots.
That includes buildings like the LocHal, a state-of-the-art library which used to be a giant hall to repair locomotives. It is an architectural marvel and is a great place to study and chill. You can also check out its wonderful urban scene.
Fancy something else? Summer might be the best period to check out the lush nature of Tilburg. Need even more? Have a look at the ticket to Tilburg website!
Interested to know more about Tilburg? Check out our video on this beautiful Dutch town!
Excited for a visit to Tilburg’s Fair? Let us know in the comments!
Feature Image: merktilburg.nl