Carnival in Eindhoven: Lampegat 2027

For a few days in February, Eindhoven changes its name. From Saturday 6 to Tuesday 9 February 2027, the city becomes Lampegat, and carnival takes over the streets, squares and cafés, from the Markt to Stratumseind. Taking part is free.

What is carnival?

Carnival is celebrated in the south of the Netherlands, in the provinces of Brabant and Limburg, in the days before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. Its roots are Catholic, but today it is above all a big popular festival. People dress up in costumes, brass bands (called "zaate hermeniekes" in Brabant) play in the streets, and cafés are full from morning till night. Everyone is equal during carnival: colleagues, neighbours and strangers celebrate together.

Why "Lampegat"?

Every carnival town in Brabant has its own carnival name. Eindhoven's is Lampegat, roughly "lamp hole", a reference to the city's history as the home of the Philips light bulb factories. During carnival, people greet each other with "salaai", the special carnival greeting.

What happens?

The exact programme of 2027 will be announced by the carnival organisation on lampegat.com. In previous years, carnival in Eindhoven followed this pattern:

• Friday evening: the parties start in the cafés, the evening before the official carnival days.
• Saturday: the big parade (optocht) through the city, with floats and groups in costumes. In 2026 the route ran from the Stratumsedijk past the Bleekweg, the Kanaalstraat, the Kerkstraat and the Wal, among other places, and was broadcast live by Omroep Brabant.
• Sunday: Stratumseind is the centre of the party, with the famous pub crawl in which participants wear a large cardboard tie listing the pubs.
• Monday: the carnival prince appears; in 2026 he made his entrance on the Wilhelminaplein.
• Tuesday: the closing celebrations on the Markt, with music and entertainment.

Check lampegat.com for the confirmed times and route of the 2027 parade before you go.

Tips for first-timers

• Dress up. Without a costume you will feel out of place. You don't need anything elaborate: a colourful outfit, a funny hat or a homemade costume is fine. Many locals wear the same costume every year.
• Learn "salaai". It is the greeting you will hear everywhere.
• Go with locals. If you have Dutch colleagues or neighbours who grew up in Brabant, join them: they know the best places and the songs.
• Pace yourself. Carnival lasts several days, and there is a lot of beer involved. Drink water in between.
• Pick a spot early for the parade. The best places along the route fill up quickly.
• Leave the car at home. Streets in the centre are closed and busy. Come on foot, by bike or by public transport.

With children

Carnival is also a children's party. During the day, many families watch the parade together, and children dress up just as enthusiastically as adults. Many schools in the region celebrate carnival on the Friday before the holiday. The evenings in the cafés are for adults.

For newcomers

If you come from a country without carnival, it can be quite a shock to see your serious colleagues dressed as clowns, pirates or bananas. Our advice: join in. Carnival is one of the best moments of the year to get to know people and feel part of Brabant. Many offices in the region take it easy during carnival, and schools in the south have a spring break around it.

Getting there

The carnival events take place in the city centre, within walking distance of Eindhoven Centraal. Trains run to Eindhoven from all over the country; expect them to be busy.

See all festivals and parties in Eindhoven, our guide to nightlife, and the calendar for February 2027.