On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 December 2024, the Star Procession will once again pass through the inner city of Bruges.
For the origins of the Star Parade, we have to go back to the interwar period. Since the
year 1932, a procession passed through the city during the Christmas period in which the Christmas story was
depicted scenes such as the birth of Jesus, the flight into Egypt and the Three
Kings. Fixed part were a number of ‘bus shakers’ who raised money for the
underprivileged from the Bruges region. After the Second World War, the tradition fell into disuse and it was not until 1974 that we again saw the Star Procession pass through the streets of Bruges.
Since 2002, the year Bruges was European Capital of Culture, the Royal Committee for
Initiative Bruges put its shoulders under the organisation to work with director Jan Bonne to renew the procession
gradually renewed. All these years, the procession has depicted the Christmas story in a simple and even
quirky way. A large group of volunteers dressed as in the early 20th
century, assisted by a marching band, a carillonist, several choirs and musicians, lots of animals, passes through the busiest streets of the city centre on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Good cause
As in the beginning, the procession is surrounded by the ‘bus shakers’ who, rattling their tin canisters, try to convince shoppers to donate some change. With the Star Parade, we want to make shoppers aware of the need for solidarity during Christmas. As has been the case from the very beginning, all proceeds go to a good cause. Extras who ride along are not paid and thus symbolically make their contribution to the same cause.
The Charity for 2025 will be announced shortly.
Since 2022, the organisation has been allowed to use the premises of the Technical Institute
Holy Family, better known to the people of Bruges as ‘De Maricolen’.
