About the Pageant of the Golden tree

The Pageant of the Golden Tree recounts the history of 15th-century Bruges and the county of Flanders. The pivotal figures in this 14th edition are Margaret of York and Charles the Bold, with their wedding feast as the apotheosis of the Pageant.

Roots of the Golden Tree

To get to the heart of the Pageant of the Golden Tree, we must travel 556 years back in time. The date is 3 July 1468, the day Margaret of York and Charles the Bold were wed. This marriage – and the ten days of festivities – later entered the history books as the most spectacular marriage ever to take place in Bruges.

Many chroniclers tried and failed to find the words to accurately describe the pomp and circumstance of the event: from banquets with rare foods to wealthy delegations from all over Europe and the ‘Passage of Arms of the Golden Tree’ – a theatrical jousting tournament. It is to this glorious Passage of Arms that the Pageant owes its name.

Growth of the Pageant of the Golden Tree

The Pageant of the Golden Tree didn’t just sprout up overnight. Many events preceded the Pageant as we know it today. We’ve split them into four major phases:

A.D. 1468

We now have a detailed description of the Passage of Arms of the Golden Tree courtesy of the many chroniclers, who also focused on the celebrations surrounding the marriage of Margaret of York and Charles the Bold in 1468.
Among others, the Bruges chronicler Anthonis Deroovere recounted this fabulous marriage in his own chronicle, bearing an equally fabulous title: ‘De blyde incompste van vrauw Margriete van Yorck, trauwende met hertoghe Carel van Bourgondien, grave van Vlaendren, met de bruyloft, spelen ende tournoyen binnen de stadt van Brugghe’, loosely translated as ‘The joyous entry of Lady Margaret of York, marrying Duke Charles of Burgundy, Count of Flanders, with the wedding, games, and jousts in the city of Bruges’.
A.D. 1907

Albert van Zuylen van Nyevelt, then state archivist of Bruges, managed to turn the 1468 marriage into a one-off spectacle for the first time. Van Zuylen was the main initiator and organiser of The Grand Tournament of the Golden Tree, held on the occasion of the inauguration of the Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge.
A.D. 1958

The Pageant of the Golden Tree blossomed for the first time in its final form. Its chief creator was historian Antoon Viaene. However, the Pageant took on a distinctive and inimitable style thanks to the rich and heraldic expression given to it by Arno Brys.
Frans Vromman was also in attendance – with over 200 Pageants under his belt, Frans is one of the best-known Pageant builders and directors. A whole host of all-stars in the pageant world ensure that it continues to grow and flourish: Remi Van Duyn, Fernand Boudens, Albert Setola, Olivia Geerolf, Tony Willems, Etienne Mommerency… and many thousands of employees and participants. For 65 years, generation after generation has played a role – whether as a spectator or participant – in the city’s Pageant. The Pageant attracted no less than 75,000 spectators in 2017!
But the years began to wear on the Pageant, the floats began to creak, the costumes were becoming frayed… A makeover was definitely needed!

A.D. 2024

Seven years later, the Pageant of the Golden Tree is back! The 2024 Pageant will include over 1,500 roles, more than 10,000 props, 7 floats, and monumental sculptures. New swords, shields, helmets, harnesses, rich robes, medieval tones, and a small army of Bruges zotten (jesters) to introduce the renewed narrative to the audience, a narrative about our city, about its wars, its peace, its wealth and plagues, but above all its festivities. With its new Golden Tree, the Pageant will shine like never before.

Same trunk, new branches

After the last Pageant of the Golden Tree in 2017, a decision was made to give the 1958 Pageant a modern makeover. The Pageant needed to become more discernible for both the people of Bruges and visitors, with more interaction and dynamism. Moreover, Brugge Plus is committed to far-reaching partnerships.

So, starting with this edition onwards, the Pageant will be divided into four chapters. The first chapter covers Margaret of York’s arrival in Bruges. Then, in chapter 2, she delves into the history of Bruges and Flanders as a new resident of the city. The third chapter details the wedding celebrations, painting us a picture of the guests at the wedding, the extravagant banquet, and the infamous Passage of Arms of the Golden Tree. In the fourth chapter, we conclude the Pageant with some breathtaking sculptures that make the connection between the Middle Ages and today.

So, even though the Pageant of the Golden Tree has been revamped, the Pageant as the citizens of Bruges know it will remain recognisable. Historical characters and scenes such as those of Charles the Good, Count of Flanders; Jan Breydel; Joan of Navarre, Queen of France; the Vikings; and the Crusades remain as present as ever. Some of the familiar floats are also being refurbished, as are the giant Finaert and the Golden Dragon.

Artistic team

Tom Ternest: artistic director
Dominique Deckers: director
Evelyne Meersschaut: costumes
Katrijn Van Aelst: props
Giovanni Vanhoenacker: scenography
Mieke De Meyer: music
Hendrik Van den Abeele: music
Aline Hopschet: music
Benjamin Boutreur: Golden Tree Song composer
Elise Eeraerts: visual arts
Jan Dumolyn: historical advisor
Jan Vromman: Pageant expert

About Brugge Plus vzw

Brugge Plus is the non-profit organisation behind the Pageant of the Golden Tree, with its roots in another NPO, Brugge 2002, European Capital of Culture. The aim of Brugge Plus, on behalf of the city of Bruges, is to make culture accessible to all residents and visitors, with hospitality and sustainability at its core. As such, the NPO continuously works on cultivating a positive image of Bruges as a modern, inclusive, and dynamic city of culture.

Brugge Plus’s activities are mono- or multidisciplinary and are held in public spaces, and the organisation thereof is always based on the core values of quality, participation, and sustainability. We organise social and cultural events and projects at the (inter)national, regional, and local levels.

Events range from music and circus artistry to contemporary arts. The Pageant of the Golden Tree, Cirque Plus, Feest in ’t Park, Uitwijken, Film op het Strand, Lichtfeest Lissewege, Iedereen Klassiek, Krikrak, Wintergloed, Reiefestival, and the Bruges Triennial are all organised by Brugge Plus.

About the Pageant of the Golden tree

Growth of the Pageant of the Golden Tree

A.D. 1468

A.D. 1907

A.D. 1958

A.D. 2024

Same trunk, new branches

Artistic team

About Brugge Plus vzw