project stad hasselt

Hasselt is synonymous with jenever. Did you know that distilling took place in Hasselt as early as the 16th and 17th centuries? These were mainly small home distilleries and a few small businesses. However, this gradually changed, and by the 19th century, there were numerous distilleries in the city center, primarily located around the Demer and Helbeek rivers. There were both industrial and agricultural distilleries. Some well-known Hasselt distillers include Smeets, Fryns, Notermans, Severy, and Wissels.

Since 1991, the third weekend of October has been entirely dedicated to this delicacy. The Jeneverfeesten (Jenever Festival) creates a wonderful atmosphere and conviviality in the city center, with jenever stalls scattered throughout. The cultural program has become increasingly important and extensive. You can no longer just enjoy jenever in all its forms and flavors, along with delicious snacks, but also street theater, music performances, and dance. And the Jeneverfeesten wouldn’t be the Jeneverfeesten if you didn’t see a performance by Jos Tuts!

For the 2025 edition, we created bunting from discarded mesh banners from the city that were hung in the streets of Hasselt.