The uprising of the facades - The parade

Facades parade with the city

11:00 | Start of De karavaan

Two facades set off from Vrijdagmarkt and Fonteineplein, each accompanied by its own caravan, and make their way through the city.

12:00 | Meeting at Bargiebrug

The two facades and their caravans meet. A musical encounter briefly brings the procession to a standstill.

13:00 | Arrival

The facades reach their new destinations: one at Fonteineplein, the other at Vrijdagmarkt.

20:00 | Two facades, two celebrations

In the evening, both facades are given a festive welcome. At Fonteineplein, De Propere Fanfare, Goeste Majeur Orchestra, Khail, Myms & Typara and DJ Losbol provide music and entertainment. At Vrijdagmarkt, the International Opera Academy and KM De Neerschelde join forces for an evening of celebration.

Discover the full programme and route of De karavaan →

Belgian artist Thomas Verstraeten is no stranger to large-scale artistic interventions in public space. For The Uprising of the Facades, he invites the people of Ghent to take part in a spectacular ritual of reversal.

A facade from Vrijdagmarkt and one from the Brugse Poort have been meticulously recreated and placed in front of their original counterparts. During the procession, the two facades meet and ultimately exchange places.

With this crossing movement, Verstraeten reveals both the tension and the connection between Ghent’s historic centre and its outskirts. The facades become more than architecture: they become masks of the city, concealing a wealth of stories and discoveries behind them.

Come and watch, join the procession and celebrate as the facades take up their new positions. Everyone is welcome.

The Parade starts at 11AM

A production from Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in coproduction with Gent Festival, VIERNULVIER, NTGent, CAMPO en KOPERGIETERY.

This production was created in collaboration with many local residents and organisations from across Ghent. A huge thank you to Manoeuvre, De Rode Lotus, De vrienden van de Lindeboom, the neighbours who joined us in brainstorming the welcoming celebrations, De Ledebirds, Stampen en Blazen, KM De Neerschelde, Goeste Majeur, De propere Fanfare, International Opera Academy, Khail, Myms en Typara, DJ Losbol, de Fikserij, Café Congé, Café Hotel Columbo, vzw Jong, Yügen Kombucha, Femba, Koor Papillon, Koor Novecanto, Koor Karavana, Okup vzw, Compagnie Cordial, stedelijke basisschool de Piramide, Jenaplanschool de Feniks, Sint-Janscollege, De Sluis - Onze Thuis, and finally the members of the city orchestra who will perform the opera of The Uprising of the Facades at the end of October.