day · floating · Ieper (Grote Markt Ieper) BE
Kattenstoet
Driejaarlijkse kattenstoet door Ieper; geen editie in 2026, eerstvolgende op 9 mei 2027.
ⓘ Recurring event. The 2026 date is the usual window; confirm the exact date closer to the event.
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Marketing angleinferred
Leverage the quirky, Instagram-worthy Kattenstoet parade in Ypres to drive tourism and local hospitality bookings during the triennial May event.
- Behind-the-scenes cat costume design and parade prep content
- Travel guides to Ypres timed around the 2027 Kattenstoet dates
- Local business spotlights: where to eat and stay during the festival
- User-generated content campaigns featuring visitor photos from the parade
Programmetypical · 2026 TBC
The Kattenstoet is a parade in Ypres, Belgium, devoted to the cat, held triennially on the second Sunday of May . It features a vibrant procession of floats, costumes, and performances that honor felines while commemorating the city's medieval history of cat-throwing rituals . The festival delights all five senses with marching bands, giant papier-mâché cats, waffles from food stalls, and confetti .
- Spectacular parade featuring dozens of floats, hundreds of performers dressed as cats, and upbeat music from marching bands
- Enormous cat effigies over four meters tall, followed by dancers, jesters, and "witches," with over 50,000 spectators
- A jester tosses plush toy cats from the Cloth Hall belfry down to the crowd
- Parade includes dozens of floats and music groups with cat themes, featuring approximately 1,560 performers (2024)
- The procession winds through historic streets for around 2.5 hours
- Belgian food including frites, waffles, local beers, cat-shaped pastries, and chocolate cats