Tilburg starts carnival season today: the 11-11 programme on the Heuvel

Tilburg opens its carnival season today, Wednesday 11 November, with a free party on the Heuvel square in the city centre. During carnival the city calls itself Kruikenstad, and it dresses in green and orange, its carnival colours.

Why 11-11?

In the south of the Netherlands, the carnival season opens on the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Eleven is known as the fools’ number in carnival, and many moments of the day start at eleven minutes past the hour. The big carnival weekend itself follows in February.

The programme on the Heuvel

According to the Carnavalsstichting Tilburg, the carnival foundation, the programme starts at 15:00 with a DJ on the Heuvel. At 15:11 the Elf-elf Kruikenbingo begins, with live music. Taking part is free, but you have to sign up in advance and places are limited.

During the afternoon and evening, Sjans & Grietje, De Gure Attenbroeders and Ome Thoom! perform, as well as a medley of Zumme Zinge?! songs.

At 19:11 the Sleutelsollers play, the board of the foundation and the mayor officially open the carnival season, and the Tilburg anthem is sung. The new bodyguard and the Raad van XI are then announced.

At 20:11 the new Prince of Kruikenstad is presented. The organisers call it the best-kept secret of the evening. After that, De Tappers and C.V. de GiErBoYs perform, and the programme ends at 23:00.

Parkring closed to cars tonight

The municipality closes the Parkring between the Spoorlaan and the Paleisring to cars from 19:00 today until 06:00 on Thursday 12 November. All car parks stay open. During the closure, the Heuvelpoort car park can only be reached via the Jan Aartestraat.

A test for carnival 2027

The municipality is using this year’s 11-11 celebration to test its new approach to carnival, agreed with the carnival foundation and the hospitality sector. The results will shape the plans for carnival 2027.