The world’s largest redhead festival concluded Sunday in Tilburg, Netherlands, after bringing together thousands of participants from over 80 countries for its annual three-day celebration.

The Redhead Days festival, which ran from August 29 to 31, culminated this afternoon with its signature group photograph, featuring hundreds of natural redheads dressed in this year’s theme color of blue.

Newsweek reached out to the Redhead Days festival organizers via online form on Sunday for comment.

Why It Matters

The festival has evolved from a small art project into a massive global celebration of diversity and self-acceptance, challenging conventional beauty standards while fostering international community building, according to the event page.

With participants ranging from two weeks to 85 years old, the event demonstrates how shared physical characteristics can transcend cultural and geographic boundaries to create meaningful connections.

What To Know

Founded in 2005 by festival director Bart Rouwenhorst, the event originated when his search for 15 redhead models for an art exhibition unexpectedly attracted 150 proud gingers.

The festival has since achieved international recognition, including a Guinness World Record for gathering 1,672 redheads in a single photograph. The event relocated to Tilburg in 2019 to accommodate continued growth and take advantage of the city’s innovation-focused environment.

The festival operates on three core principles: connection, pride, and recognition. These values guide activities designed to help redheads embrace their distinctive characteristics, including different pain thresholds, skin sensitivity, and other traits that distinguish them from the general population.

Most festival activities remain free to ensure accessibility, with small fees only for specific events like pub crawls and kick-off parties.

Environmental sustainability has become a key festival priority, incorporating renewable electricity, waste separation systems, circular drinking cups, and free water stations.

While the festival welcomes all participants regardless of hair color, only natural redheads can participate in the iconic group photograph that serves as the event’s centerpiece.

What People Are Saying

Redheads Days festival mission statement: “Because the festival celebrates the uniqueness of people, it also attracts people who are different in other ways. Actually, everyone is different, and we celebrate that.”

What Happens Next?

With this year’s festival concluded, organizers will begin planning the 2026 edition, expected to continue the tradition of late-August timing in Tilburg.