Limburg Pride is expecting a record 25,000 visitors for its second edition in Hasselt on Sunday, with organisers expanding the parade, introducing heat measures and offering mental health support alongside the festivities.
The event, themed ‘One Family, Many Colours‘, is set to attract significantly more people than last year’s inaugural Pride, which welcomed around 17,000 visitors.
Organisers stress that Limburg Pride is designed as an inclusive event for everyone.
“We’ve never seen this as something only for the community,” said chair Bert Brone and vice-chair Koen Wijgaerts. “It’s a celebration for everyone – for the community, but also for families, friends and allies.”
With high temperatures forecast, additional precautions have been put in place.
“We’re expecting warm temperatures, so we have indeed taken a number of measures,” Brone said. “We’ve set up a station where visitors can apply sunscreen, and we’ve also provided a water point where people can refill with free drinking water.”
If temperatures rise further, additional drinking water points will be opened.
Dress code
The organisers have also taken steps to make the event welcoming for people who are not publicly out. Privacy screens have been installed around parts of the festival site, while a family-friendly dress code will apply.
“It’s very important to us that this is a family event,” Brone said. “We’ve placed screens around the festival grounds so that people who are not out can still feel safe.”
From the FAQ:
Are there limits to outfits?
We want to make Limburg Pride safe and welcoming for everyone, including families with children. We therefore ask that you be mindful of your surroundings and express yourself in a way that remains inclusive for all ages.
💡 Translation: you certainly don’t have to come in jeans and a T-shirt, but leave those extra explicit outfits for another setting. Body positivity = yes. Public (quasi) nudity = preferably not today 😉
The Pride parade will begin at 14:00, led by Hasselt’s traditional town crier. Around 50 groups have registered to take part, more than double last year’s 23, with approximately 3,000 marchers and 15 decorated floats. Participants include LGBTQIA+ organisations, sports clubs and, for the first time, delegations from all Limburg hospitals.
Leading the parade will be actor Daphne Agten and designer Jordy Arthur, travelling in a convertible as this year’s Pride ambassadors. They will be followed by a 25-metre rainbow flag on loan from Brussels Pride, symbolising solidarity between Pride events across Belgium.
One of the parade’s most distinctive moments will come at the finish on Kolonel Dusartplein, where organisers have partnered with former Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix host venue Circuit Zolder.
“Several members of Circuit Zolder will wave the chequered flag – the real finish flag – to welcome the parade,” Brone said. “The official flagging-off will immediately signal the start of the Pride festival.”
The Pride Village has expanded considerably and now features 83 information and community stalls alongside food vendors, performances and entertainment.
Wellbeing
This year’s edition also places a stronger emphasis on wellbeing. Visitors will be able to book free confidential consultations with psychologists at Hasselt’s former prison, covering topics including grief, coming out, burnout and family relationships. Free legal advice will also be available.
“As the only Pride, we’re providing mental health support from psychologists in the old prison in Hasselt,” Wijgaerts said.
The event carries a budget of around €180,000 but remains free to attend. Organisers have also partnered with health insurer Solidaris, which has pledged to donate €1,000 to Regenbooghuis Limburg if participants collectively reach one million steps during the event.
Following speeches at around 16:00, the celebrations will continue with performances by DJ Zohra and Sylver, alongside drag performances by Macy Madison, Gia Hermosa and Dina Price.
Police will maintain a visible presence throughout the day, with organisers saying the event will take place under enhanced security and continuous monitoring. Last year’s inaugural Pride passed without major incidents.
The latest on LGBTQIA+ events such as prides in Belgium
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2026 | 5-day festival combines protest, celebration and community as organisers respond to rising discrimination and global backlash.
- TURNHOUT | New LGBTQIA+ Pride festival Love Out Loud on Saturday 5 September 2026.
- PROGRAMME | 2026 Antwerp Queer Arts Festival from Friday 19 June to Sunday 16 August.
- PRIDES IN BELGIUM 2026 | Bruges Pride (12-14 June), Mons Pride (13 June), Reclaim Our Pride (Antwerp, 27 June), Tournai Pride (27 June), Limburg Pride (Hasselt, 12 July), Antwerp Pride (5-9 August), Liège Pride (29-30 August), Leuven Pride (27 September).
- SATURDAY 8 AUGUST 2026 | Pride Express links Utrecht – Amsterdam – Rotterdam Antwerp – Rotterdam Amsterdam – Utrecht for Antwerp Pride 2026.
- Namur Pride on Saturday 30 May 2026.
- BELGIUM | 216,000 celebrate 30 years of Brussels Pride.
- From the Stonewall Inn Riots to Brussels and Antwerp Pride: how much did the New York riots really influence queer activism in Belgium and the Netherlands?.
- BELGIUM | Beyond Darklands 2027 ‘The Ember Dunes’ from Tuesday 16 to Monday 22 February in Antwerp.
- Rainbow Festival Oostende 2026 on Friday 8, Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May.
- Pride Express links Ghent, Brussels and Antwerp to WorldPride Amsterdam on 1 and 2 August 2026.
- Queer March Ghent returns in March 2026.
- BRUGES | Prisma Queer Arts Festival on 16, 17 and 18 January 2026.
- HAPPY NEW QUEER 2026 | Bruges on 17 January and Leuven on 23 January.
- PROGRAMME | Pinx 2026 LGBTQIA+ film festival in Ghent and Antwerp from 27 January to 1 February.
- EuroGames 2028 in Frankfurt: will Antwerp aim for 2029 or 2030?.
- Pride Museum pop-up draws 4,000 visitors and strengthens case for permanent queer space in Brussels.
- Mechelen to organise a Pride Week from 2026?.
- Belgium to host Eurovision Song Contest 2026? But in which city?.
- ANTWERP 2025-2030 | City government agreement supports bid for EuroGames in Antwerp in 2028.
