Roeselare is pleased with the successful Weekend of the Customer event. On Saturday, October 3rd, and Sunday, October 4th, the shopping city served as the national host, drawing significant attention. Pleasant weather, numerous visitors, and a full program contributed to a lively atmosphere throughout the weekend, met with very positive reactions from Roeselare's retailers.
On Saturday, October 3rd, the city center recorded 23,351 visitors, with approximately 19,000 on Sunday. Saturday was the second busiest day of the year after the 'Batjes' event, and Sunday was the third busiest after 'Batjes Sunday' and Carnival Sunday. In total, the Weekend of the Customer attracted over 42,000 visitors to the city center.
UNIZO and Comeos selected Roeselare as the national host city this year. Roeselare's retailers and hospitality businesses thanked their customers with small gifts, special offers, and promotions. Stad Roeselare, as the national host city, collaborated with Unizo and its partners to provide entertainment and music in the shopping streets.
On Saturday, Radio 2 broadcast live from the Grote Markt, with presenters Xavier Taveirne and Peter Van de Veire engaging with local traders. Throughout the city center, activities included performances by Discobar Joossens, Mathias Mesmans, Udo, and live music and intimate concerts by Pianoman Wim. On Sunday, festivities continued with a bouncy castle village and a large candy drop on the Grote Markt, distributing 1,500 candy bags, with ten containing grand prizes. Local company Paulig also celebrated its 150th anniversary by offering free tacos.
During the Weekend of the Customer, Stad Roeselare also honored 17 merchants with a ‘Commerçant met Goesting’ (Merchant with Enthusiasm) award. These awards recognized retailers from both the city center and its sub-municipalities for their unique contributions and dedication to Roeselare's commercial life.
Mayor Kris Declercq highlighted Roeselare's strengths as a shopping destination with vibrant experiences and enterprising merchants. He expressed pride in the lively streets and the positive feedback from retailers, both in the city center and its surrounding areas.
Through the Weekend of the Customer, UNIZO and Comeos annually focus on the relationship between retailers and their customers. This year, Roeselare, as the national host, provided an especially festive interpretation of the event, combining shopping, hospitality, music, and entertainment to thank customers and showcase local entrepreneurship.
