Sint-Niklaas (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): The World Market at Heymanplein celebrates its 25th edition, promoting peace and unity with vibrant stalls and performances. The 10th Ballonloop saw over 3,000 runners, fostering community spirit.
The World Market at Heymanplein and Castrohof is a lively event where various groups showcase their work to the community, celebrating its 25th edition this year. Part of the annual Peace Festival, the market highlights global diversity and promotes messages of peace and unity. The atmosphere is vibrant, with colorful stalls featuring international foods, crafts, and information booths where organizations explain their initiatives. This festive setting allows visitors to learn about different cultures, global issues, and local community efforts, fostering a strong sense of togetherness.
What made the 10th Ballonloop in Sint-Niklaas so special?
Grandmother Rina goes to the World Market every year with her daughters Frauke and Elkie, and her granddaughters Maili and Eliyana. They love it because it especially marks the end of summer. Rina enjoys the friendly atmosphere and the sense of community that makes them return each year. The market has more than just stalls, it also has fun performances and activities for kids, like live music and dance shows. It has been said that it’s a great place for families to connect, learn, and celebrate peace together, making it an important event for them.
According to resources in the evening, the balloons had to stay on the ground, which made the audience a little sad. But they enjoyed Bart Peters performing at Hendrik Heymanplein. André Hazes Jr. was also performing at Boomfest in the city park. 8th September’s event was special because it was the 10th Ballonloop, and it had a record number of over 3,000 runners. Organizer Caroline Vlaminck was really happy about this. She said it was amazing to see so many people joining, whether they were running 1 kilometer, 5 kilometers, or 10 kilometers. It felt like the runners just kept coming.
The running route mostly stayed the same, even with work on the Grote Mark. Runners went through the Grote Mark, Stationsstraat, the station square, and the city park in Sint-Niklaas. A special group was from the Vitaz hospital. The cardiology team helped each other and finished together. They said it was good for team building. First-time runners enjoyed the atmosphere and the nice route.
