7 & 8 september 2025
7 & 8 september 2025
Hamlet De Berk exists 45 years this year. For the designers René and Yoran Jochems an extra reason to do a bit more. “As a father and son we have a nice tradition”, Yoran starts. “On the Thursday after the corso we always make an extra big walk with our dogs and chat about the past corso. Last year this was different, because we designed together for the first time. Then you obviously start talking about your own float.” Soon after that they talked about what they could be doing next year. For it had been satisfying.
“We discovered we wanted the same, and we thought this very special, being father and son”, René continues. This way “Nature awakens” came to life. Literally, because a giant tree will be seen on the float that comes to life. Is it not applicable that a hamlet that has a tree in its name is building a tree in its anniversary year?
“We don’t want to connect a social theme to it”, René emphasizes. It just has to be a nice picture. With the help of 14 figurants, a lot of small movements, led lighting and alternative material the float should transform completely . The designers clearly seem to go for a wow-factor and if it depends on the hamlet this will work out. “Since the design was approved, ideas have been emerging from the builders”, René says. “It is great to experience the enthusiasm that we have ourselves also among te builders. We are going to make it a nice and pleasant anniversary year.”
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René (61) and Yoran Jochems (32) are both corso fanatics. It is the second joint design of father and son. To René, who works as a planner, this is his 29th design. To Yoran, caregiver with the great apes in the Antwerp Zoo, it is his 4th.
Original Dutch Text: Robin van Veltom
Translation: Emile Wassenaar
Photo: Charles van Campenhout
Hamlet De Berk
www.buurtschap-deberk.nl
This article is brought to you by Corsief. An independent magazine about corsos in general and the Zundert flower parade in particular. The magazine is produced entirely by volunteers, who are all more or less active in the Zundert flower parade world. Corsief is entirely full-colour and appears four times a year.