Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in Belgium
- Before planning a trip around a festival, verify the festival dates at the festival's website or with a local tourist information office. For more information about these and other events, visit the official tourism sites for Belgium and Brussels.
- This list includes major festivals in major cities, plus national holidays observed throughout Belgium. Many sights and banks close down on national holidays — keep it in mind when planning your itinerary. Note that this isn't a complete list; holidays can strike without warning.
- See upcoming holidays and festivals across Europe
2024
January 1: New Year's Day (closures)
February–early April: Carnival season on various weekends in different French-speaking cities; particularly lively and bizarre in towns of Binche and Stavelot
February 23–March 3: Anima international animation film festival, Brussels
March 29–April 1: Easter weekend (Good Friday through Easter Monday; closures on Easter Monday)
April 9–21: Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (series of cult films)
May 1: Labor Day (some closures)
May 9: Ascension (closures); Procession of the Holy Blood, Bruges
May 19 & 20: Pentecost and Whit Monday (closures)
May 18: Belgian Pride, Brussels (LGBT pride parade)
May 24–26: Brussels Jazz Weekend (free concerts around town)
May 26: Ducasse de Mons, south-central Belgium (procession, enactment of battle between St. George and the dragon)
June 15–16 (likely): Battle of Waterloo Reenactment, Waterloo
June 25: Zinneke Parade, Brussels (procession with music, dance, and floats, but no combustion engines)
June 25–July 3: Brussels International Film Festival
July 3 & 5: Ommegang Pageant, Brussels (historic costumed parade to Grand Place)
July 4–7: Rock Werchter, near Leuven (huge pop and rock festival)
July 12–14: Cactus Festival, Bruges (alternative pop and rock in Minnewater)
July 19–21 & 26–28: Tomorrowland, north of Brussels in town of Boom (electronic music festival)
July 19–28: Ghent Festival (free concerts, fireworks, street performers, market)
July 21: Belgian Independence Day (parades, fireworks, closures)
July 25–28: Sfinks Mixed, near Antwerp (world music, free)
August 2–11: Musica Antiqua Festival, Bruges (medieval music)
August 15: Assumption Day (procession in Bruges, Bathtub Regatta in Dinant, southern Belgium; closures across Belgium)
August 15–18: Brussels Flower Carpet
August 15–18: Pukkelpop, near Hasselt in northeast Belgium (progressive music festival)
August 23–September 6 (likely): La Ducasse in Ath, southwestern Belgium (traditional procession featuring giant puppets)
October 8–19: Ghent Film Festival
November 1: All Saints' Day (closures)
November 11: Armistice Day (closures)
December: "Winter Wonders" Christmas Market, Brussels
December 5–6: St. Nicholas' Eve and St. Nicholas' Day (processions celebrating the arrival of Sinterklaas and presents for children)
December 25: Christmas (closures)