Hof der dingen - Minneke Poes: the symbol of the Kattenstoet in Ypres

Meet Minneke Poes, one of the two giants from Ypres’ famous Kattenstoet (Cat Parade). The parade has a long and colourful history—rich with urban legends and wild tales. And yes, some of them are even true. 

On 13 March 1938, a modest parade wound its way through the streets—music playing, the city jester leading the way, flanked by nine pages each carrying a plush cat from the town hall towards the belfry. As the jester climbed the tower to toss the cats down to the children gathered below, white and red confetti fluttered through the air. Quite a picture, isn’t it? Now, let’s step back and explore the history behind this unique tradition. 

The Kattenstoet, or Cat Parade, in Ypres, Belgium, is a triennial festival with a history rooted in both a unique medieval tradition and a more modern revival. Initially, the festival commemorated a medieval practice of throwing live cats from the Cloth Hall belfry tower, believed to be a way to control vermin and ward off evil spirits. However, the modern parade, which began in 1938, uses plush cats and other symbolic elements to celebrate the cat and the city's history. 

During the Second World War, the parade was suspended, but on 17 March 1946 plush cats were once again thrown, preceded by a small procession and the trial of the cat in the Grote Markt. 

Ypres’ mayor Jan Vanderghote dreamed of expanding the modest event into something bigger. His successor, Albert Dehem, made that dream a reality. In the early 1950s, new folkloric parades were springing up all over West Flanders—the perfect moment to launch a grand Cat Parade. Together with notable Ypres figures such as Octaaf Mus and Daniël Merlevede, Dehem created a spectacular procession with 1,500 participants, all in beautiful costumes. 

On the second Sunday of Lent in 1955, the first large-scale Cat Parade became a reality. 

The parade meant different things to different people. For Mayor Dehem, it was a way to put Ypres—which was completely destroyed after the war—back on the map. For others, including Octaaf Mus, it was about restoring the spirit of the city and strengthening bonds between its residents.

Until the 1980s, Ypres was known more for its Cat Parade than for war tourism. The city owes a great deal to the event, which helped make Ypres known across Belgium after the two World Wars and strengthened the sense of community and belonging among its residents.