Tilburg carnival kickoff cleared after choice to deny minors entry for safety reasons

Elf-Elf, the official opening of Tilburg’s carnival season, will officially kick off next Wednesday after the municipality, Carnavalsstichting Tilburg (CST), and the hospitality reached an agreement on whether minors should be allowed. Minors will be allowed to be turned away only for safety or behavioral reasons, not solely because they are underage.

The celebrations in Kruikenstad were uncertain as the hospitality sector and the municipality disagreed over the refusal of minors. Under the municipality’s rules, bars and squares would be fined 2,500 each time they refused entry to someone under 18.

The hospitality sector, however, wanted to be able to refuse minor people. “It is about safety. Young people arrive drunk, and in such a large crowd they pose a danger to themselves and those around them,” hospitality entrepreneur Alex Boonmann told Omroep Brabant.

The municipality, CST, and the hospitality sector have made arrangements, which state, among other things, that the carnival must be open and inclusive, while the safety of the visitors comes first. Enforcement must be possible if the situation threatens to become unsafe. The municipality will also work with buddies - people on site who keep an eye out on safety.

The mayor emphasizes that he is a pilot. “We will undoubtedly learn from it so that we can do even better the following year.”

To guarantee safety, young people may be refused entry - something that was previously a fine of 2,500 euros per minor. “But we will never do that simply because someone is underage,” the mayor explains. “Only young people who have been drinking alcohol, display unsafe behavior, or cause other forms of nuisance will be removed.”

Both the CST and the hospitality sector are pleased with the agreements. “This way we ensure that we keep traditional, buplic carnival safe,” said Martijn de Bont from CST.