Festival of the cats in YPres 1B 周丽鑫 1B 白丹丹 1B 郝蕊

The Cats' Parade is held every third year in the Flemish town of Ypres (Ieper) in Belgium - a celebration of the history and tradition of cats.

THE YPRES CAT FESTIVAL  This 1959 stamp depicts a jester juggling little cats. In earlier times, the city of Ypres (Flemish for leper) in Belgium was a center for the wool trade. The wool was collected in the town 抯 huge Cloth Hall before sale, where it attracted hungry rodents. Cats were used to control their numbers until all the wool had been sold. No longer needed, the cats were thrown from the tower -- a job that fell to the town jester.  This barbaric practice ceased in 1817, being replaced in modern times by a festival celebrating the history and tradition of the cat. It opens on Saturday evening with witches, cats, carnival floats, and bands processing through the town. Later there is a fireworks display on the town ramparts. The main event, on Sunday, consists of a huge procession that can take two hours to pass. There are several marching bands, numerous floats, flag throwers and stilt walkers.

 The 2003 Festival included themes such as Cat Worship in History, The Cat in Language and Legend, The Cat around the World, The Ypres Cat, and The Condemnation of Cats and Witches. Each section was introduced by children carrying placards and balloons with cat faces. Everyone was made up with cat features. The jester appeared on a little platform high above the crowd on the Cloth Hall Tower, and toy cats were tossed down to the crowd. To round off the evening, witches were burned in the town square.  Tickets may be purchased in advance for a seat in the main square to view the procession, but arrangements should be made months ahead, as it is heavily booked and there are not many hotels in Ypres. The Cat Festival is held every third year on the second Sunday in May. For more information about the Festival, visit Wikipedia -- Festival of the Cats.Wikipedia -- Festival of the Cats.

Kattenfestival: a guide to Belgium’s cat festival

3 – more feline fancies than you could imagine  A cat festival might sound rather cute and cuddly, and this one is, but that’s only by recent design. In truth, the Kattenfestival has its roots in a 12th- century tradition that had the city jester throwing live cats from the Lakenhalle’s belfry. Cats, it was believed, personified evil spirits and this ritual, which continued until 1817, was a sure way to be rid of them. Today’s version, which sees toy cats hurled from the belfry, was instituted in the 1930s.  Held annually until 1991, the festival is now staged every third year. On this day, the town literally purrs. Store windows fill with cats, there are cat-shaped chocolates and marzipan and stalls sell all sorts of feline merchandise. The big moment is the Kattenstoet, a parade of giant cats. Following the parade it’s a case of look away now for it’s about to rain toy cats.  Essentials: a fair fondness for cats (or throwing them from towers) is something of a prerequisite.

Peter DeGroot, Chocolatier, has a stand in front of his store in Ieper for the Cat’s Festival Cat Collectors and cat lovers from all over the world, us included, traveled to the historical city of Ieper, Belgium, for the May 2006 Cats Festival held there once every 3 years. This year marked the 41st “Kattenstoet” Cat Parade held in this town of about 20,000.

Cats roam the streets