Liège will once again be awash with rainbow colours at the end of August as Liège Pride returns for its second edition. From 28 to 30 August 2026, Belgium‘s first Pride in Wallonia will bring together LGBTQIA+ organisations, activists, performers and thousands of visitors for a weekend combining celebration with political advocacy in the heart of the Cité Ardente or Fiery City.
Building on the successful launch of the event in 2024, organisers aim to establish Liège Pride as a permanent fixture on Belgium’s Pride calendar alongside the established celebrations in Brussels and Antwerp. The weekend will once again focus on visibility, inclusion and the fight against discrimination while showcasing the diversity of Wallonia’s LGBTQIA+ community.
Three days of festivities
The festivities will centre on Espace Tivoli, next to Place Saint-Lambert, where the Pride Village will host LGBTQIA+ organisations, community groups, information stands and activities throughout the weekend. Visitors will also be able to enjoy concerts, drag performances, DJ sets, exhibitions, after-parties and the traditional Pride Brunch closing the celebrations on Sunday.
The highlight of the weekend will be the Pride Parade on Saturday 29 August. The procession will depart in the afternoon, making its way through Liège’s city centre and along the banks of the River Meuse before returning to the city centre. Organisers are inviting associations, businesses and community groups to take part in the march, which is expected to attract thousands of participants and spectators.
For the first time, Liège Pride has also launched an official mobile app. The free application provides the full programme, a map of LGBTQIA+-friendly venues in the city, emergency contact numbers and practical information for visitors attending the Pride weekend.
“Stop harassment!”
Like its inaugural edition, Liège Pride continues to present itself as both a celebration and a demonstration. Organisers say the event was created to increase the visibility of LGBTQIA+ people in public spaces while drawing attention to the discrimination, homophobia, transphobia and harassment that many still experience.
The campaign slogan launched with the first edition, “Stop harassment!“, remains central to the initiative. Organisers point to European survey data showing that 42% of LGBTI people in Belgium experienced harassment within a 12-month period, with even higher rates reported by transgender and intersex people. They say Pride is intended not only as a festive gathering, but also as an opportunity to promote dialogue, challenge stereotypes and encourage safer public spaces for everyone.
According to the organisers, the event also aims to strengthen cooperation between LGBTQIA+ organisations, educational institutions, cultural organisations, businesses and public authorities, while reinforcing Liège’s reputation as an open and welcoming city. They hope the annual Pride weekend will continue to attract increasing numbers of visitors and support local LGBTQIA+-friendly businesses.
University joins the parade
Among the organisations taking part this year is the University of Liège (ULiège), which has invited students, staff and alumni to march together in the parade on 29 August. The university says its participation reflects its commitment to defending LGBTQIA+ rights and combating discrimination, while supporting the visibility of sexual and gender minorities both on campus and in wider society.
Growing Pride movement in Belgium
Liège Pride reflects the continued expansion of Pride events across Belgium beyond the country’s largest cities. Alongside established events such as Brussels Pride and Antwerp Pride, recent years have seen new Pride celebrations emerge in cities including Hasselt with Limburg Pride and Mechelen, highlighting the growing visibility of LGBTQIA+ communities throughout the country.
For Wallonia in particular, Liège Pride represents an important milestone. By bringing together activists, community organisations, families and allies in one of the region’s largest cities, organisers hope to create a recurring event that combines activism with celebration while ensuring LGBTQIA+ visibility is no longer centred solely on Belgium’s capital.
The latest on LGBTQIA+ events such as prides in Belgium
- Brussels Pride 2026 on Saturday 16 May, will celebrate 30 years of Pride: how rainbow historiography deletes two decades.
- BELGIUM | First Mechelen Canal Pride on Saturday 25 July.
- Limburg Pride 2027 on Sunday 4 July.
- 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.
