The Laetare carnival is a deeply rooted local tradition in Stavelot, with community youth groups and band societies participating every year. According to legend, the Blancs-Moussis costume began circa 1502 when locals mocked a 1499 edict forbidding monks from carnival by dressing as white-faced monks. The carnival has been held continuously since the early 19th century (around 1820) and has become a defining element of Stavelot’s identity.