Two weeks ago I stumbled upon this initiative on Facebook. It was called Botellon and drew my attention because it was simple, social, spontaneous and is taking place in the city I’ve spent the last six years of my life, Ghent.

Now what is this botellon all about? Botellon is an offline happening which starts online, initiated on social networks as Facebook. I told you before that 2009  for me will be the year off synergie between offline and online. This happening is a perfect illustration of this. We’ve had Young Scum and Twunches. We know these, but what is now botellon? Apparently the word botellón is an augmentative of botella (bottle) so the literal translation would be “big bottle”. In the ’90s this phenomena arose in Spain where people got out and drank there big bottles on the street. In Spain it is an integral part of their nightlife where on Saturday night people gather before going to nightclubs and discos. In 2004 a botellón in Sevilla attracted 70.000 people.

The event is spread by word of mouth and through social networks. Now we’ll have our own botellon in Ghent on the 24th of June. Offcourse Ghent has always had a tradition with nightlife gathering. The infamous Graslei will remain one of the most fascinating places from may till october, as it is a place where students and young people meet on warm evenings to have a drink and ocassionally to take a dive in the water. Now the Sint-Pietersplein will be the center of Ghent for nightlife gathering.

Out of the Blog will be attending and hopes to meet you on the Sint-Pietersplein, so give a us a hands-up if you’re going and we’ll have a botellon.

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Tagged: botellon gent, Sint-Pietersplein