Editing Brussels (section)

===Folklore===
{{Further|Folklore of Belgium}}
[[File:GeantsMeyboom2.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Meyboom]] giants in Brussels, a [[UNESCO]] [[Intangible Cultural Heritage]]]]

Brussels' identity owes much to its rich folklore and traditions, among the liveliest in the country.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-11-25|title=Folklore|url=https://www.brussels.be/folklore|access-date=2024-03-22|website=brussels.be|archive-date=22 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240322023707/https://www.brussels.be/folklore|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Folklore|url=https://be.brussels/fr/loisirs-evenements-sports/les-loisirs-gratuits/folklore|access-date=2024-03-22|website=Région de Bruxelles-Capitale|language=fr|archive-date=22 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240322023707/https://be.brussels/fr/loisirs-evenements-sports/les-loisirs-gratuits/folklore|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Ommegang of Brussels|Ommegang]], a folkloric costumed procession, commemorating the [[Joyous Entry]] of [[Emperor Charles V]] and his son [[Philip II of Spain|Philip II]] in the city in 1549, takes place every year in July. The colourful parade includes floats, traditional processional giants, such as [[Saint Michael]] and [[Saint Gudula]], and scores of folkloric groups, either on foot or on horseback, dressed in medieval garb. The parade ends in a [[Medieval pageant|pageant]] on the [[Grand-Place]]. Since 2019, it has been recognised as a [[Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity]] by [[UNESCO]].<ref>{{cite web|title=UNESCO – Ommegang of Brussels, an annual historical procession and popular festival|url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists|access-date=2021-06-11|website=ich.unesco.org|archive-date=15 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515125552/https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Meyboom]], an even-older folk tradition of Brussels (1308), celebrating the "[[Maypole|May tree]]"—in fact, a corruption of the Dutch word, meaning ''tree of joy''—takes place paradoxically on 9 August. After parading a young [[beech]] in the city, it is planted in a joyful spirit with lots of music, ''Brusseleir'' songs, and processional giants. It has also been recognised as an expression of [[intangible cultural heritage]] by UNESCO, as part of the bi-national inscription "[[Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and France]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/brussels-folklore/meyboom|title=Meyboom|website=be.brussels|access-date=10 February 2017|archive-date=14 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170514013936/http://be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/brussels-folklore/meyboom|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/processional-giants-and-dragons-in-belgium-and-france-00153|title=Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and France – intangible heritage – Culture Sector – UNESCO|website=ich.unesco.org|access-date=27 October 2017|archive-date=21 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121072210/https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/processional-giants-and-dragons-in-belgium-and-france-00153|url-status=live}}</ref> The celebration is reminiscent of the town's long-standing (folkloric) feud with [[Leuven]], which dates back to the [[Middle Ages]].

[[Saint Verhaegen]] (often shortened to ''St V''), a folkloric student procession, celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the {{Lang|fr|[[Université libre de Bruxelles]]|italic=no}} (ULB) and the {{Lang|nl|[[Vrije Universiteit Brussel]]|italic=no}} (VUB), is held on 20 November. Since 2019, it has also been listed as intangible cultural heritage of the Brussels-Capital Region.<ref>{{Cite web|title=La Saint Verhaegen — Patrimoine – Erfgoed|url=http://patrimoine.brussels/fr/decouvrir/inventaires-du-patrimoine-bruxellois/inventaire-du-patrimoine-culturel-immateriel/la-saint-verhaegen?set_language=fr|access-date=2023-03-06|website=patrimoine.brussels|archive-date=6 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306163324/http://patrimoine.brussels/fr/decouvrir/inventaires-du-patrimoine-bruxellois/inventaire-du-patrimoine-culturel-immateriel/la-saint-verhaegen?set_language=fr|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=McNally|first=Paul|date=2019-10-13|title=Brussels student celebration St V joins cultural heritage list|url=https://www.thebulletin.be/brussels-student-celebration-st-v-joins-cultural-heritage-list|access-date=2023-03-06|website=The Bulletin|archive-date=6 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306163329/https://www.thebulletin.be/brussels-student-celebration-st-v-joins-cultural-heritage-list|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=La St-V fait son entrée au patrimoine culturel immatériel de la Région de Bruxelles|url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/la-st-v-fait-son-entree-au-patrimoine-culturel-immateriel-de-la-region-de-bruxelles-10336897|access-date=2023-03-06|website=RTBF|language=fr|archive-date=6 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306163327/https://www.rtbf.be/article/la-st-v-fait-son-entree-au-patrimoine-culturel-immateriel-de-la-region-de-bruxelles-10336897|url-status=live}}</ref>

Another good introduction to the ''Brusseleir'' [[Brusselian dialect|local dialect]] and way of life can be obtained at the [[Royal Theatre Toone]], a folkloric theatre of [[marionette]]s, located a stone's throw away from the Grand-Place.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toone.be/spip.php?page=choix_lang|title=Théâtre Royal de Toone|website=toone.be|access-date=13 August 2019|archive-date=21 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821151509/http://www.toone.be/spip.php?page=choix_lang|url-status=live}}</ref> Finally, two famous folkloric plays, ''[[Le Mariage de Mademoiselle Beulemans]]'' by Frantz Fonson and Fernand Wicheler, and ''[[Bossemans et Coppenolle]]'' by Joris d'Hanswyck and Paul Van Stalle, are still the subject of regular revivals.<ref>{{cite book|last1=van Morckhoven|first1=Paul|last2=André|first2=Luc|year=1970|title=The contemporary theatre in Belgium|location=Brussels, B|publisher=Belgian Information and Documentation Institute|page=73|oclc=906056246}}</ref>