Belgium Events Calendar

Feb/Mar: Carnival of Binche (Shrove Tuesday weekend). UNESCO-listed carnival; the famous Gilles (men in elaborate costumes with wax masks) parade and throw blood oranges into the crowd on Shrove Tuesday.

Feb/Mar: Carnival of Aalst (Shrove Sunday-Tuesday). Raucous three-day carnival with satirical floats, the giants’ parade (Horse Bayard), onion-throwing from the Grote Markt rooftops, and the parade of Vuil Jeannetten.

Feb/Mar: Carnival of Eupen. Five days of pre-Lenten revelry in Belgium’s German-speaking capital, culminating in the Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) procession.

Feb/Mar: Carnival of Stavelot (Laetare, 3 weeks before Easter). The Blancs Moussis (hooded white figures with long red noses) star in this Walloon carnival procession.

Feb/Mar: Carnival of Fosses-la-Ville (3 weeks before Easter). Costumed Chinel characters parade through the streets in this ancient Walloon carnival.

Feb/Mar: Bal du Rat Mort (Dead Rat’s Ball), Ostend. Outrageous fancy-dress charity ball, a beloved tradition on the first Saturday of March.

Feb: Reverze Festival, Antwerp. Premier indoor hardstyle festival at the AFAS Dome and Lotto Arena; late February.

Feb/Mar: Rampage Weekend, Antwerp. World’s largest drum & bass and dubstep festival at the Sportpaleis; late February or early March.

Early Mar: Bal du Rat Mort, Ostend. See February. First Saturday of March.

Mar: Printemps de Bourges / spring concert seasons open. Festival and concert seasons begin across Belgium’s major venues.

Mar: Rampage (if not February). See February listing.

Mar/April: Annual  Aalst Carnival. Shrove Sunday to Tuesday; exact dates vary with Easter.

Apr: Easter Sunday & Easter Monday (Pasen / Pâques). National public holidays; chocolate egg hunts widespread; church processions in many towns.

30 Apr: Walpurgis Night / Witches’ Eve (Walpurgisnacht). Traditional spring festival, particularly in the Ardennes and German-speaking east; bonfires and witch effigies burned to welcome spring.

Mid Apr / early May: Royal Greenhouses of Laeken open to the public. The magnificent Art Nouveau glass conservatories at the royal domain open for roughly three weeks every spring. Tickets sell out extremely fast.

Apr: Art Brussels. One of Europe’s leading contemporary art fairs, held at Brussels Expo; a fixture of the international art calendar for over 50 years.

Apr: Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF). Science fiction, fantasy and horror films screened across Brussels, with the legendary Vampire Ball; usually held in April.

Apr/May: Queen Elisabeth Competition. World-famous international classical music competition for young instrumentalists (violinists, pianists, cellists, singers), held in Brussels; rotates disciplines annually.

Apr/May: Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels. Three-week international performing arts festival transforming Brussels venues into stages for contemporary theatre, dance and performance.

Apr/May: KlaraFestival, Brussels. Belgium’s largest classical music festival, held at cultural centres around Brussels.

Apr/May: Sablon Spring Baroque Music Festival, Brussels. Open-air concerts on the Place du Grand Sablon.

1 May: Labour Day (Dag van de Arbeid / Fête du Travail) . National public holiday; political rallies and worker marches across Belgium.

Ascension Day: Procession of the Holy Blood (Heilig-Bloedprocessie), Bruges. One of Europe’s most important religious processions: the bishop of Bruges carries a relic of the Holy Blood through the medieval streets while costumed participants enact biblical scenes; held on Ascension Day (sixth Thursday after Easter).

May: Ducasse de Mons (Doudou). UNESCO-listed festival of processions, the golden reliquary chariot of St Waudru, and the folkloric battle of St George against the dragon (Lumeçon); held on Trinity Sunday weekend in Mons.

May: Kattenstoet (Festival of the Cats), Ypres (Ieper). Toy cats are thrown from the Cloth Hall belfry; triennial event (every three years, second Sunday of May. Next edition is 9 May, 2027.

May (biennial): Zinneke Parade, Brussels. Vibrant multicultural parade with live music, floats and costumes; held every two years in May.

May: Meiboom / May Day festivities. May pole plantings and spring celebrations in various towns.

Late May: Brussels Jazz Marathon / Jazz in Brussels. Free outdoor jazz concerts at venues across Brussels.

Apr/May: Horst Arts & Music Festival, near Brussels. Electronic music and art in a castle park setting; usually late spring.

May: Up! Festival, Brussels (biennial). International benchmark for contemporary circus arts; biennial event in Brussels.

Early Jun: Graspop Metal Meeting, Dessel. One of Europe’s leading metal music festivals; held at Dessel, near Antwerp.

3rd Sun Jun: Belgian Beer Weekend Preview / Fête de la Bière. Beer culture celebrated across the country; major Belgian Beer Weekend in Brussels is in September.

21 Jun: Fête de la Musique / Music Day. Free outdoor concerts across Belgium (particularly Brussels, Liège and Ghent) on the summer solstice.

Late Jun: Couleur Café, Brussels. World music festival at Osseghem Park near the Atomium: funk, hip-hop, reggae, afrobeat, soul.

Late Jun: Les Nuits Botanique, Brussels. Indie and alternative music festival at the Botanique concert hall and gardens, launching the Belgian festival season.

Late Jun: Werchter Boutique. High-profile one-day pop and rock concerts at Werchter.

Late Jun: Shrimp Festivities (Garnaalfeesten), Koksijde. Coastal folklore festival with shrimp-fishing competitions and folkloric groups.

Jun: Festival Musiq3, Brussels (Flagey). Three days of jazz, world and classical music at the iconic Flagey venue.

Late Jun: Gent Jazz Festival. One of Belgium’s premier jazz festivals.

Early Jul: Rock Werchter, Werchter (near Leuven). One of Europe’s premier rock and pop festivals; four days at the legendary Werchter site, attracting up to 90,000 per day.

Early Jul: Ommegang, Brussels (Grand-Place). Spectacular historical pageant recreating the 1549 entry of Emperor Charles V into Brussels, with 1,400 costumed participants; held on the first or second Thursday of July.

Early Jul: Brussels Renaissance Festival. Period of historical festivities centred on the Ommegang.

Early Jul: Dour Festival, Dour. Eclectic five-day camping festival spanning electronic, hip-hop, rock and alternative music in the Hainaut countryside.

Mid Jul: Gentse Feesten (Ghent Festivities). Ten days of free street entertainment – music, dance, theatre, puppet shows, fireworks – across 19 squares; one of Europe’s largest city festivals, held annually since 1843; usually 17-26 July.

Mid Jul: Cactus Festival, Bruges (Minnewaterpark). Intimate world and alternative music festival in the beautiful Minnewater park.

Mid Jul: Les Ardentes, Liège. Belgium’s leading hip-hop and urban music festival.

Mid Jul: Rock Herk, Herk-de-Stad. Smaller rock and alternative festival in Limburg.

Late Jul: Tomorrowland, Boom. One of the world’s largest and most famous electronic dance music festivals, held over two consecutive weekends near Antwerp; draws over 400,000 visitors from 200+ countries.

20 Jul: Bal National (National Day Eve Ball), Brussels. Grand public ball on the eve of Belgian National Day.

21 Jul: Belgian National Day (Nationale Feestdag / Fête Nationale). Military parade on the Boulevard du Régent in Brussels; royal appearances; fireworks; nationwide celebrations. National public holiday.

Late Jul: Sfinks Mixed, near Antwerp. Free world music festival.

Jul: Lokerse Feesten, Lokeren. Ten-day music marathon along the Durme river spanning pop, rock, hip-hop and Belgian favourites.

Jul: St Godelieve Procession, Gistel. Over 1,000 participants re-enact the life and martyrdom of St Godelieve; Sunday after 5 July.

Jul: Brosella Folk & Jazz Festival, Brussels (Laeken park). Two-day folk and jazz festival in the park of Laeken; second weekend of July.

Jul: Beleuvenissen, Leuven. Four Friday evenings of outdoor music on Leuven’s squares, spanning classical to blues.

Early Aug: Meyboom Planting, Brussels. Ancient Brussels ceremony planting a May-pole on the eve of the Feast of St Lawrence (9 August), celebrating Brussels’s victory over Leuven in 1311.

Early Aug: Ducasse d’Ath / La Ducasse, Ath. UNESCO-listed giants’ procession featuring the legendary giant puppets (Goliath, Ambiorix, etc.) parading through Ath; usually the fourth Sunday of August, with festivities lasting several weeks.

Mid Aug: Pukkelpop, Hasselt. Major progressive and alternative music festival near Hasselt; four days.

15 Aug: Assumption Day (Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Hemelvaart / Assomption). National public holiday; processions in Bruges and many Marian shrines; Bathtub Regatta in Dinant.

Aug: Four Days of the IJzer, Nieuwpoort. Annual long-distance walking event following WW1 historic sites along the IJzer; first full week after 15 August.

Early Aug: Musica Antiqua Festival, Bruges. Belgium’s leading early and medieval music festival.

Mid-Aug: Royal Palace, Brussels, open to the public. The Royal Palace on the Place des Palais opens for free public visits (no tickets needed but queues expected); traditionally throughout August, beginning just after 21 July.

Mid-Aug: Brigittines Summer Festival, Brussels. Outdoor arts and performance festival in the historic Brigittines chapel garden; mid-August to early September.

Aug: Ronquières Festival. Pop, rock and urban music on the Ronquières inclined plane site.

Aug: XRDS / Crossroads Festival, Brussels. Eclectic music festival.

Late Aug: IJzerwake, Diksmuide. Flemish nationalist commemoration at the IJzer tower near Diksmuide.

Mid-Aug: Biennial  Flower Carpet, Brussels Grand-Place. Stunning mosaic of begonias covering the Grand-Place; biennial event in mid-August (even years).

Early Sep: Belgian Beer Weekend, Brussels (Grand-Place). The Belgian Brewers guild presents hundreds of Belgian beers on the Grand-Place; first weekend of September.

Early Sep: Brussels Comic Strip (BD) Festival. Celebration of Belgian comics heritage with exhibitions, signings and events across the city.

2nd Sun Sep: Fête de la Wallonie. Wallonia’s community holiday commemorating the Walloon role in the 1830 Belgian Revolution; biggest festivities in Namur; concerts, folklore and the local spirit peket.

2nd weekend Sep: Open Monumentendag (Flanders) / Journées du Patrimoine (Wallonia). Hundreds of heritage buildings, historic sites and monuments throw open their doors free of charge across Belgium; one of the most important heritage events in the calendar.

27 Sep: Fête de la Communauté Française (French Community Day). Community holiday for the French-speaking community of Belgium; concerts, theatre and sports events.

Sep: Grande Procession, Tournai. Ancient religious procession commemorating the 1092 thanksgiving to Our Lady for warding off the plague; second or third Sunday of September.

Sep: RendezVous September, Brussels. Design and architecture festival in Brussels.

Sep  Design September, Brussels — Month-long design events, exhibitions and open studios across Brussels.

Mid-Sep: Brussels International Film Festival. Major cinema event in the capital.

Sep: Festival of Flanders (Festival van Vlaanderen) season opens. Wide-ranging classical and cultural programme running at venues across Flanders from September through to June.

Sep: Festival of Wallonia season opens. Classical music programme running at venues across Wallonia from September through to June.

Sep: Outremeuse Festival, Liège. Music, dance and theatre honouring Liège’s beloved folklore characters Tchantchès and Nanesse; 15 August and surrounding days, but major events in late August–September.

Sep: FACTS Pop Culture Convention, Ghent. The largest pop culture convention in the Benelux; late September/early November (check year).

1 Nov: All Saints’ Day (Allerheiligen / Toussaint). National public holiday; families visit graves and lay chrysanthemums.

2 Nov: All Souls’ Day (Allerzielen / Jour des Morts). Day of remembrance for the dead; cemetery visits continue.

1st Sun Nov: Scherpenheuvel Pilgrimage. See October; can fall on the first Sunday of November.

11 Nov: Armistice Day (Wapenstilstandsdag / Jour de l’Armistice). National public holiday; solemn ceremonies at the Menin Gate in Ypres (where the Last Post is sounded every evening at 8 pm throughout the year), the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Brussels, and war cemeteries across Flanders and Wallonia.

11 Nov (every eve): Last Post Ceremony, Menin Gate, Ypres. The bugles of the Last Post have sounded every evening at 8pm under the Menin Gate since 1928; one of the most moving recurring rituals in Belgium.

Mid-late Nov: Night of the Proms, Antwerp. Spectacular concert series blending classical orchestral music with contemporary pop artists; Antwerp Sportpaleis.

Late Nov: Christmas markets open across Belgium. Belgium’s Christmas market season begins in late November: Brussels (Plaisirs d’Hiver/Winter Wonders), Bruges, Ghent, Liège, Leuven, Namur and many others; runs until early January.

Nov: FACTS Convention, Ghent (if autumn edition). Benelux’s largest pop culture and gaming convention; dates alternate between spring and autumn.

5-6 Dec: St Nicholas Eve & St Nicholas Day (Sinterklaas / Saint-Nicolas). Children receive gifts from Sint-Niklaas/Saint Nicolas; processions welcoming Sinterklaas arrive in cities from mid-November onwards; 6 December is the main celebration day.

Throughout Dec: Christmas Markets (Kerstmarkten / Marchés de Noël). Brussels Winter Wonders (Grand-Place and St Catherine’s square), Bruges Markt, Ghent Korenmarkt, Liège Village de Noël and dozens of others across the country.

25 Dec: Christmas Day (Kerstdag / Noël). National public holiday.

26 Dec: Boxing Day (Second Christmas Day / Tweede Kerstdag). National public holiday.

31 Dec: New Year’s Eve (Oudjaarsavond / Saint-Sylvestre). Fireworks and public celebrations in cities; Brussels Grand-Place hosts large public gathering.