2026 marks the nineteenth (19th) edition of Antwerp Pride. From Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 August, Antwerp in Belgium will once again be taken over by rainbow vibes. Prides are a mix of celebration – parties – and activism and advocacy. For the 2026 edition, the organising committee focuses on fearing less and being fearless.
Sint-Andriesplaats will once again become the cultural heart of Antwerp Pride as Pride in Town returns with a free evening of live music, poetry, ballroom performances and spoken word celebrating diversity and inclusion.
The event, which is open to everyone, forms part of the official Antwerp Pride programme and is built around this year’s theme, ‘Fearless’. Organisers say the programme aims to encourage dialogue and visibility at a time when LGBTQIA+ rights are facing increasing pressure in many parts of the world.
Celebrating Pride in the heart of the city
Pride in Town is designed to bring the message of Antwerp Pride into the city’s public space, inviting members of the LGBTQIA+ community, allies and passers-by alike to come together for an evening of culture, conversation and celebration.
According to organisers, the event reflects the idea that Pride is not only a celebration but also a call to stand up for equality, freedom and the right for everyone to be themselves.
Music, poetry and ballroom culture
The evening will be hosted by Fleur Pierets and Kirsten Van Teijn, who will guide audiences through a varied programme of performances.
The Antwerp Queer Choir will perform twice during the evening, while ballroom artists Ramses, Lilith Xclusive Lanvin, and Dizzy Vineyard will showcase a performance celebrating ballroom culture, which has long served as a place of expression and empowerment within the LGBTQIA+ community.
Antwerp’s city poet Esohe Weyden will present a new poem on inclusion, written especially for Antwerp Pride and Het Roze Huis Antwerpen. The work will be performed together with Belgian-Brazilian singer-songwriter Helena Casella, who will also perform a selection of her own music.
Singer ZINNO will take to the stage with a mix of original songs and cover versions inspired by this year’s ‘Fearless’ theme.
DJs close the evening
Later in the evening, DJ Vini and Lola McQueen will present ‘The Royal Affair‘, a performance combining Brazilian influences, dance music and drag entertainment.
The programme concludes with a DJ set by KRSCTRL, resident DJ at LSBN GRLS, bringing the celebrations to a close with an evening of dance music.
Pride in Town takes place at Sint-Andriesplaats during Antwerp Pride. Admission is free and the event is open to everyone.
Antwerp Pride 2026-2027
- ANTWERP | ‘Between us. Exploring queer spaces’: Museum Aan de Stroom (MAS) hosts exhibition for 20 years of Antwerp Pride, from 26 February to 30 August 2027.
- Antwerp Pride 2026 parade route.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2026 | Police maintain Pride security plans after Berlin attack as LGBTQIA+ groups call for stronger action against hate.
- Antwerp Pride to host community meeting on resilience and safety.
- DEURNE | 2026 Antwerp Pride Opening Night at OLT Rivierenhof on Wednesday 5 August.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2026 | NMBS / SNCB opens ‘Change Station’ at Perszaal of Antwerp-Central.
- ANTWERP PRIDE | Yves de Brabander and Cedric Jacquemyn present ‘Absence, Returned’ from 6 August to 11 September 2026.
- Antwerp Pride: “We will not be intimidated” after deadly attack at Berlin Pride.
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- FEARLESS | Antwerp Pride calls for courage as conservative movements gain ground.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2026 | Lien Van de Kelder: “Antwerp is a sanctuary and a refuge”.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2026 | Mayor Els van Doesburg states freedom and mutual respect remain the foundation of Pride.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2026 | 5-day festival combines protest, celebration and community as organisers respond to rising discrimination and global backlash.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2026 | Galleries and artists unite under ‘Together’ initiative with shared float, exhibitions and queer art programme.
- Antwerp to introduce extra security measures for Pride amid safety concerns.
- Antwerp Pride 2026 adopts ‘Fearless’ theme, with safety concerns shaping preparation.
- Antwerp Pride 2026 adopts ‘Fearless’ theme amid call for resilience and visibility.
- Antwerp Pride 2026 adopts ‘Fearless’ and ‘Fear Less’ as its theme.
- Antwerp Pride 2026 from Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 August.
Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2026
- Antwerp Queer Arts Festival to host Pride rally calling for action on LGBTQIA+ equality.
- PROGRAMME | 2026 Antwerp Queer Arts Festival from Friday 19 June to Sunday 16 August.
- Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2026 unveils diverse programme from Friday 19 June to Sunday 16 August.
Reclaim Our Pride 2026
- ANTWERP | 27 June Reclaim Our Pride protest march postponed due to extreme heat, evening event at Het Bos to proceed.
- 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).
Beyond Darklands 2027
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.
- Liège Pride 2026 from 28 to 30 August.
- 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.
