De Haan Crime Festival Attracts 15k; City Council Hails Success

De Haan (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The five-day crime festival in De Haan drew around 15,000 visitors. Organised with Belevingsfabriek, it featured police demos, lectures by Jef Vermassen, and local business participation; Alderman Hans Knudde praised its success.

As VRT News reported, the 5-day crime event attracted about 15,000 visitors to De Haan, in the province of West Flanders, Belgium. Alderman Hans Knudde said the event was a clear success.

“A festival about a niche like crime is clearly a hit,”

he said. The festival also attracted local businesses. Some restaurants served gory-themed dishes, and some shops temporarily changed their names to resemble real crime scenes.

Knudde said he is open to organising the festival again next year.

“I think I can convince my fellow politicians to support it,”

he added. Organisers hope a future edition will continue to bring visitors to the seaside during the quieter winter months.

What made De Haan’s crime festival draw 15,000 visitors?

Officials mentioned that attendees could watch live demonstrations by the police and fire departments. Others joined lectures by famous crime writers or listened to legal experts such as lawyer Jef Vermassen. They said that the program offered activities for all ages. Small children enjoyed a scavenger hunt, while older visitors could attend more detailed presentations. 

The event was organised with the Belevingsfabriek, also known as the Experience Factory. The goal was to bring more tourists to the seaside during the winter months.

“It was a resounding success,”

said Alderman Hans Knudde.

“We’re incredibly pleased. There was a whole program: from a scavenger hunt for the littlest ones to lectures by artists like Jef Vermassen.

Together with the Belevingsfabriek (Experience Factory), we looked for a way to attract more tourists to the seaside during the winter months. We wanted to attract people who wouldn’t otherwise be here. And we succeeded.”

“I’m a huge podcast fan, especially those about crime. So I felt there would be an audience and we’d definitely fill those five days.

De Haan also lends himself perfectly to the genre. You’re literally walking around in the setting of Agatha Christie’s books.”

“We still have the real Belle Epoque neighborhoods where her crime novels were set. You feel like you’re Hercules Poirot yourself.”

The idea for the five-day crime festival began in late summer 2024, when the municipality and the Belevingsfabriek started planning a winter event to attract more visitors to the seaside. The festival was held in January 2025.