When Mayor Teun Heldens was appointed as the mayor of our municipality, he became the youngest mayor in the Netherlands. During his appointment, he received the traditional red lantern from his predecessor, a symbolic honor awarded to the youngest mayor in the country. Along with the lantern, Heldens was given a special task: he had to ensure that the red lantern would be visible at the Brabantsedag festival, carried by one of the participating float-building groups.
To accomplish this, the mayor called on all float builders via social media to submit ideas on how they could incorporate the red lantern into their designs. Friends’ group de Rooie Hoek submitted the most creative and fitting design, earning them the honor of featuring the red lantern on their float.
During a festive visit to the construction site of de Rooie Hoek, the mayor personally handed the red lantern to the designers. It was received with loud applause.
The mayor expressed his admiration for the dedication of all the float builders: "The enthusiasm and creativity of the float builders are incredibly inspiring. I want to warmly congratulate friends’ group de Rooie Hoek on their winning design. The red lantern has found a well-deserved place at the Brabantsedag."
As a surprise, friends’ group de Rooie Hoek presented the mayor with a Brabant tie, requesting him to wear it proudly on Sunday!
Finally, we wish everyone the best of luck with the final preparations for the Brabantsedag. We look forward to seeing the impressive creations of all the float builders!
