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Calendar · Belgium
Gilles of Binche at carnival, processions and giants in spring, music festivals in summer and Christmas markets in winter: Belgium’s year of celebrations runs through cities in Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels.
In the photo: Rozenhoedkaai, Bruges (Flandres Ocidental)
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The festivals
Belgium has a full festival calendar tied to local traditions that many towns have kept for centuries. Some have been recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, such as the Binche carnival, the Procession of the Holy Blood in Bruges, the Ducasse of Mons and the Ommegang of Brussels.
The year starts with carnival. In February or March, depending on the date of Easter, several towns in Wallonia take to the streets, and in Binche the Gilles dance wearing wax masks and ostrich-feather hats.
In spring and early summer come the great processions. Bruges carries the relic of the Holy Blood through the streets on Ascension Day, and Mons stages the fight between Saint George and the dragon on Trinity weekend. Brussels recreates the celebration given for Charles V with the Ommegang on the Grand-Place.
July and August are festival months. Ghent has ten days of street parties, Spa hosts the Francofolies and Hasselt hosts Pukkelpop. In mid-August, Liège celebrates the Assumption in the Outremeuse neighbourhood and, every two years, Brussels’s Grand-Place is covered by a flower carpet.
In September, Namur hosts the Fêtes de Wallonie. At the end of the year, Christmas markets fill the centres of Brussels and Liège.
Many festivities revolve around giants, processions and drum music, and there’s almost always beer, péket or waffles nearby. Because the dates of several events depend on Easter or change each year, it’s worth checking the calendar before you travel.
18 festivals and events
Dates change every year: check this year's date before you travel.
February/MarchFrom Carnival Sunday to Shrove Tuesday, the three days before Ash Wednesday, in February or March depending on the date of Easter.
The Binche carnival, in the province of Hainaut, culminates on Shrove Tuesday with the Gilles, figures wearing wax masks and ostrich-feather hats who dance through the streets to the sound of drums and throw oranges to the crowd.
February/MarchFrom Saturday to midnight on Fat Tuesday, before the start of Lent, in February or March, depending on the date of Easter.
The Cwarmê is Malmedy’s carnival, in the Ardennes: four days when masked figures such as the Haguètes take to the streets, everything is spoken and sung in Walloon, up to the burning of the Haguète on the final night.
May/JuneOn the weekend of the Holy Trinity, the Sunday after Pentecost, between May and June, depending on the date of Easter.
On Trinity weekend, Mons carries the relic of Saint Waltrude on a gilded carriage through the streets and stages the Lumeçon, Saint George’s fight with the dragon, on the Grand-Place.
MayEvery three years, on the second Sunday in May. · Every three years
Every three years, on the second Sunday in May, Ypres celebrates cats with the Kattenstoet, a parade of floats, giants and costumes that culminates with the town jester throwing stuffed cats from the Lakenhalle bell tower.
May/JuneOn Ascension Day, a Thursday forty days after Easter, in May or early June.
On Ascension Day, the relic of the Holy Blood is carried out of the basilica on Burg Square and processes through Bruges’ medieval centre in a parade with biblical scenes, singing, music and horses, an intangible UNESCO heritage event.
June/JulyOver two nights between late June and early July.
On two early-summer nights, the Ommegang brings hundreds of participants in 16th-century costumes from the Sablon to Brussels’ Grand-Place, recreating the celebration held for Emperor Charles V in 1549.
June/JulyFor four days, from Thursday to Sunday, on the weekend that closes June or opens July.
Rock Werchter brings together rock, pop, indie and electronic music over four days at Festivalpark in Werchter, in the municipality of Rotselaar, near Leuven, at the start of summer.
JulyIn July, usually in the second half of the month, over several days depending on each edition's format.
The Francofolies de Spa take over the center of the spa town in July, with francophone music concerts on outdoor stages in the Parc de Sept Heures and in venues such as the Casino.
JulyFor ten days in July, including Belgium’s national holiday on July 21.
For ten days in July, the Gentse Feesten spread concerts, street theatre, puppetry and bars across the squares and quays of Ghent’s historic centre.
JulyOn the last two weekends of July.
An electronic music festival held across two weekends in July at De Schorre park in Boom, between Antwerp and Brussels, known for its theatrical stages and international audience.
AugustOn the weekend of the fourth Sunday in August, from Friday to Monday.
On the weekend of the fourth Sunday in August, Ath celebrates its ducasse with the wedding of the giant Goliath, David’s fight against Goliath on the Grand-Place, and the procession of the giants through the streets.
AugustAround August 15, the Assumption feast; the main day is August 15 and the closing is August 16.
Around August 15, the Outremeuse neighborhood in Liège celebrates the Assumption with a procession of the Black Virgin, a Mass in Walloon, a giants’ parade, concerts and lots of péket, culminating in the symbolic burial of Matî l'Ohê.
AugustIn mid or late August, over four days from Thursday to Sunday.
Pukkelpop brings together rock, alternative, electronic and hip‑hop across several stages set on fields and woodlands in Kiewit, north of Hasselt, in August.
AugustEvery two years, in even-numbered years, for about four days over the long weekend around August 15. · Every two years
Every two years, in mid‑August, the ground of Brussels’ Grand-Place is covered with a carpet of begonias and dahlias featuring a different design each edition, which remains in place for about four days.
November/December/JanuaryFrom late November to early January, for about five weeks.
From late November to early January, the Plaisirs d'Hiver spread Christmas chalets, a Ferris wheel, an ice rink and lights across central Brussels, from Place Sainte-Catherine to the Grand-Place.
November/DecemberFrom late November to late December, for about five weeks.
From late November to late December, the Village de Noël occupies place Saint-Lambert and place du Marché in central Liège, with chalets, narrow streets and squares set up like a winter village.
Your questions
Among the best known are the Binche carnival, the Procession of the Holy Blood in Bruges, the Ducasse of Mons, the Ommegang and the Flower Carpet of Brussels, the Gentse Feesten in Ghent and the August 15 celebrations in Liège.
Among others, the Binche carnival, the Procession of the Holy Blood in Bruges, the Ducasse of Mons (and other festivals of giants and dragons), and the Ommegang of Brussels.
There are festivals year-round: carnival in February or March, processions between May and July, music festivals in July and August, the Fêtes de Wallonie in September and Christmas markets from November to January.
