Face of Flanders: Griet Cnudde

She first appeared in the headlines last April when she helped six residents of the Zuider dock neighbourhood in Antwerp to get the popular Sinksenfoor fair moved out of the area after this year’s edition, as well as winning for them damages of €45,000.

Last week she was back in court, trying to get an interim injunction against the organisers of the dance festival Tomorrowland from expanding to two weekends this July.

You couldn’t take on a bigger opponent in Flanders: The festival is not only one of the region’s most successful international events, it’s the most popular dance festival in the world. This year for its 10th anniversary edition, it wants to expand from one weekend to two.

“I’m sure I’ll now be branded as an intolerant spoilsport, but that doesn’t bother me,” said Cnudde. “I’m as fond of a good party as the next person, but forcing people to walk around with bags under their eyes for two weeks isn’t really on.”

Just like with Sinksenfoor, the residents who live in the area of the De Schorre recreation park in Boom, Antwerp province, where Tomorrowland is held, are complaining about noise and nuisance. Cnudde complains that the festival is selling tickets for the additional weekend before they have all the necessary permits.

Cnudde, who is a member of the Antwerp firm Lexeco specialising in construction and real estate law, won her case last year, and no-one will be surprised if she triumphs again. Hopefully this time without the death threats aimed last year at her clients by angry fair-going residents.

“There’s a risk I’ll be called a moaning minnie or a NIMBY advocate in the coming weeks,” she said. “But I’m just not. I live in the centre of Ghent, where, as you know, a noisy party takes place every year that lasts for nearly two weeks. But the Gentse Feesten grew up historically, and the organisers do everything possible in co-operation with locals to limit the nuisance. Then you don’t hear me complaining – on the contrary, I’m happy to party along.”