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.
Comments
20 responses to “De Haan Crime Festival Attracts 15k; City Council Hails Success”
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So, a crime festival in De Haan? Brilliant! Nothing screams “let’s enjoy the seaside” like gory-themed dishes and police demos. 🇧🇪😂
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15k folks flocking to a crime fest, eh? Who knew that a little murder and mayhem would be the ticket to a lively seaside winter? 😂 #OnlyInDeHaan
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Only in De Haan do we celebrate crime as if it’s a Michelin-starred dish. Who knew that police demos and a scavenger hunt could be the recipe for 15,000 delighted punters? 😂
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A crime festival in De Haan? Brilliant idea! Nothing screams ‘family fun’ quite like gory-themed dishes and police demos—perfect for a weekend getaway! 😂🍷
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Nothing screams “family fun” quite like a crime festival in a quaint seaside town. Can’t wait for next year’s “Murder Mystery Brunch” 🤔🍽️!
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Seems like a crime festival in De Haan is just what we needed to attract the crowds—because nothing screams “seaside fun” like police demonstrations and murder-themed munchies! 😂 15k visitors? Guess crime really does pay, at least in tourist numbers!
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A crime festival, you say? Ah, nothing like celebrating a little lawlessness to keep the winter blues at bay! 😂 Who knew that gory-themed dishes would be the new culinary trend in our quaint little seaside town? 🍽️
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15,000 folks flocking to a crime festival in De Haan? Must be a slow month for real life. 🕵️♂️ Maybe next year they’ll theme it around taxes—now that’s a real killer! 😂
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15k people flocked to a crime festival? I suppose desperate times call for desperate measures, eh? 😂 Next year, let’s add a “how to avoid prison” workshop – that’ll really boost the numbers!
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Criminal masterminds unite! Who knew a town could thrive on something as thrilling as police demos and gory-themed dinners? 🍽️💼 Sounds like a proper Belgian blockbuster!
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Oh, brilliant! A crime festival in De Haan—just what we needed to spice up the winter months! I can already hear the locals asking for more “gory dishes” at dinner, right next to their waffles. 🍽️🔪
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A crime festival in a quaint seaside town, eh? Sounds like the perfect excuse to dress up as a detective and pretend we’re not just here for the gory food and free police demos. 😂
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A crime festival, eh? Nothing like celebrating lawlessness in a picturesque beach town—must be the perfect spot for a ‘killer’ holiday! 😂
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Oh, brilliant! Nothing screams “cultural revival” like a crime festival in a sleepy seaside town. Who wouldn’t want to munch on gory-themed dishes while pondering their next heist? 😂
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Just what De Haan needed—a crime festival to draw in the crowds! Who knew that a bit of murder mystery and a dodgy kebab stand could turn a quiet seaside town into the next Agatha Christie theme park? 😂💼
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A crime festival, you say? Brilliant idea—nothing screams “family fun” quite like police demos and gory-themed dishes! 🥳 Let’s hope next year’s edition includes a scavenger hunt for the local politicians to find their common sense. 😏
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“15,000 people flocking to a crime festival? Guess when you live in a seaside town, even the criminals need a holiday! 😏 Who knew murder could be so… charming?”
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A crime festival in De Haan? Sounds like the perfect getaway for those who think ‘murder most foul’ is a fun family outing! 😂 Next year, let’s hope they throw in a few more skeletons—might as well go full horror show! 🖤
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Crime festival in De Haan? Brilliant idea, mate! Nothing says “family fun” like police demos and gory-themed dishes—just what I wanted for a cozy winter getaway! 😂🍷
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A crime festival in De Haan? Brilliant! Nothing screams “family fun” like scavenger hunts and lectures on murder mysteries. 😂
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