Redhead Festival in the Netherlands

Written by Philippa Burne, UK, August 2012

RECOMMENDATION Keywords:
Must-Do Experience, People Watching, Festival

Information

Comment from Philippa Burne

Did you know that in Poland if you see three redheads at the same time you will win the lottery? Or that in Corsica if you see a redhead you must spit and spin around? How about that Scotland has the highest percentage of redheaded people in the world (13%)? Or that if you go to Breda in The Netherlands on the first weekend of September, you’ll be surrounded by thousands of redheads from all over the world – 46 countries at last count! Yes, this is Roodharigen – the annual Redhead Festival.

It all began with an artist who liked the English Pre-Raphaelite painters like Dante Rossetti who painted women with flowing red hair, and also Gustav Klimt and his iconic Kiss painting with that lady’s gorgeous flower-starred red hair. But there are very few natural redheads in Holland (2%), so he advertised. And 50 women wanted to model for his paintings: poor redheads are more used to be scorned than adored I fear. And thus the first festival of redheads began in Breda in 2005.

Editor’s Note: This recommendation was taken from our Netherlands Things to Do blog. Visit the original post to continue reading the full post and to learn more about things to do in the Netherlands.

Photo courtesy of Bartr via Wikicommons.

Latest Replies

Add review or reply

We don't have any reviews for this recommendation – be the first to review it! Simply click Add Review above and share your opinion.