Watou is a village merged with the town of Poperinge, having a population of some 1,900. It has a special character, and calls itself ‘een dorp van hoge gisting’ (a village of high fermentation). It is famous for its arts and music initiatives.
The Poetry Summer Festival Watou was organized for 28 years (from 1980 to 2008) and was a unique dialogue between international visual arts and poetry. Since 2009 it became the annual Art Festival Watou. The three-year International Gregorian Festival of Watou, on the splendid 1871 Pieter Loncke organ, attracts some 10,000 spectators.
And of course, the village is proud of its two breweries, producing typical local beers.