Customs, traditions and folklore

3. The folklore

In Houffalize, there is no real carnival tradition except a few individual and episodic manifestations. Do not forget that, in the past, wearing a mask was forbidden by the church….

A few years after the 2nd world war, in 1954, a comittee called « Quartier du Midi » organized a folkloric procession with charriots, groups and brass bands. During these years, many folkloric or musical groups appeared ; for instance, la Clique et les Majorettes, les Capiches, les Pastoureaux, Los Bordjos***. (Later on, the name became Les Midistilfous)

Today, it remains the BAVO (Bien Aller du Val de l’Ourthe), a group of blowers on the hunting-horn that counts more or less 1000 prestations !

In 1997, these processions stopped. In 2001, a few members of the tourist bureau decided to organize again this procession on the 1st Sunday of August.

A carnival in August is just a Sun Carnival. They do not choose a carnival prince, but a sun- king or a sun-queen.

Nowadays, this » Carnaval du Soleil » is the greatest non-sporting manifestation in Houffalize. Every year, it is attended by thousands of people.

We expect on you !

*** The word « bordjeus » is very old. A charter of freedom from 1283 certifies that Houffalize is well a city. The residents, the middle-class could use the wood of the forest Cedrogne. This privilege, was not given to the farmers (that cultivate the soil). That is why, the residents of Houffalize are called « Bordjeus » still nowadays.