What is the Meyboom, and why does Brussels plant its 718th tree today?
On 9 August 2026 Brussels stages the 718th planting of the Meyboom, the ribbon-wrapped "tree of joy" that must stand before 5pm or, by legend, forfeit the honour to rival Leuven.
In 30 seconds
- The 718th Meyboom is planted in central Brussels on 9 August 2026; by tradition it must stand before 5pm or the right to plant it passes to Leuven.
- The tree is carried and raised by the Buumdroegers, known in French as the Compagnons de Saint-Laurent (Companions of Saint Lawrence), a volunteer folklore brotherhood.
- This year the celebration on the Grote Markt/Grand-Place shifts to a different spot because of town-hall renovation works, according to regional reporting.
- La Dernière Heure reported that an 86-year-old man will carry the Meyboom for the 70th time, underlining questions of continuity and succession.
The Meyboom (Dutch) or Arbre de Mai/Meiboom is an annual Brussels folklore ritual in which a young tree, decorated with ribbons and topped with an effigy, is paraded through the lower town and planted upright on 9 August, the eve of Saint Lawrence's Day. It is carried and raised by the Buumdroegers, a volunteer brotherhood also called the Compagnons de Saint-Laurent (Companions of Saint Lawrence). By long-standing custom the tree must be planted before 5pm or, per legend, the right to plant it passes to the city of Leuven — a rivalry central to the tradition's mythology. The 2026 edition is counted as the 718th.
Background
Brussels folklore traces the Meyboom to a medieval privilege; the annual count places the first planting in 1308, and legend links it to a ducal grant rewarding Brussels men for repelling attackers from Leuven, from which stems both the yearly planting right and the rule that it be raised before Saint Lawrence's Day. Historians and the two cities dispute how much is fact and how much is cherished legend, and the Brussels–Leuven quarrel over the tradition's ownership persists. The custom is cited by organisers as recognised UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.
What to do
The Meyboom is free, central and family-friendly, requiring no ticket and little language knowledge — newcomers, expats and EU-staff residents can simply follow the afternoon procession in the lower town and watch the planting before 5pm, one of the most accessible entry points into Brussels' popular folklore.
Impact
Regional — The event is a fixture of central Brussels civic life, drawing crowds into the lower town around the Grand-Place and the traditional planting site near the rue des Sables and rue du Marais. The renovation of the town hall has forced organisers to adapt the celebration's location on the Grote Markt this year, a small but telling example of how the city's heritage rituals negotiate with ongoing urban works.
EvidenceWell established · 1 primary source + 3 independent reporting sourcesExplore evidence →Hide evidence ↑
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