Strandbloemen (Beach flowers)

Selling beach flowers is a unique tradition at the Belgian coast, including in Zeebrugge. Children have been making flowers out of crêpe paper, wooden sticks and metal wire on the beach during the summer for years. They ‘sell’ them to each other in exchange for shells. Because this fun tradition should certainly not be lost, the beach flowers have been given a place in the Flanders Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021, thanks to Kusterfgoed (Coastal Heritage). Make sure you have a supply of shells with you when you go for a walk on the beach in Zeebrugge, so you can buy a colourful beach flower at a ‘flower stall’.