Antwerp ‘Tall Ships Races’ and Bollekesfeest are popular with 850,000 visitors (Antwerp)
The large sailing ships of the Tall Ships Races, in combination with the Bollekesfeest, attracted about 850,000 visitors to Antwerp last weekend.
Source: BELGA
Since Friday, forty ships of the Talls Races have been moored in Antwerp. They are scattered in the docks around the MAS, the Kattendijkdok and on the Scheldt quays. It was the seventh time it happened in the “Cookie City”. the Bollekesfeest took place on the Grote Markt and the Groenplaats. There were performances everywhere and the evening was signed off with fireworks.
Mayor Bart De Wever is satisfied. “Antwerp has had fantastic days. The atmosphere of mighty sailing ships, the view of the many masts and ropes with our city decor, fills every resident as well as the city with pride.” According to De Wever, the link with the Bollekesfeest was a bull’s eye.
The Tall Ships Races 2022 consists of two races. The first race started on 7 July in Esbjerg (Denmark) and finished in Harlingen (Netherlands). The ships departed for Antwerp and arrived on 22 July. On Monday 25 July the ships will leave for Aalborg (Denmark) for a second race.
Antwerp is not the only city with a lot of people over last weekend. It was also very busy at the Gentse Feesten and the police had to intervene here and there to check the masses.