Antwerp Gay Pride 2027

Antwerp Gay Pride 2027 Packed full of parties, parades and politics!

Antwerp is probably one of the most open and tolerant cities in the world concerning gay rights and acceptation of the gay lifestyle. Although it’s a rather small city (population 600.000) it hosts numerous gay shops, venues and events. Antwerp actually staged Belgium’s first LGBT Pride Parade in 1979.

• Visiting Antwerp Pride? Stay in the old town, close to all the pride celebrations and parties. The Hotel Julien is a “Superb” rated 4-star hotel located in the heart of the city with delicious breakfast options and a relaxed vibe.

Antwerp Pride Dates 2027

• Next Edition: Wednesday 4th August, 2027 – Sunday 8th August, 2027.
• Antwerp combines the scale of a major European Pride with a city centre that remains easy to explore on foot.
• Celebrations stretch from the Historic Centre and Grote Markt to the Scheldt Quays, Zurenborg and the northern docks.
• Enjoy 5 days and nights of parties, t-dances, concerts and events, culminating in a powerful parade through the streets of Antwerp.
• Stay in Antwerp’s Historic Centre for easy access to the parade, street parties and gay bars.

The Schedule

WED	Pride Opening Night	Ticketed opening show with live performers and DJs. Venue awaiting confirmation.
THUR	Midsummer Pride	Free open-air festival with two stages at Draakplaats in Zurenborg.
FRI	Pride in Town	Community events, exhibitions, performances and street parties across Antwerp.
SAT	Antwerp Pride Parade	The main march through central Antwerp. Route and departure time awaiting confirmation.
SAT	Love United Festival	Free post-parade festival with two stages beside the Scheldt.
SAT NIGHT	Pride Club Parties	WOODPOP, H.I.M and other Pride editions traditionally run late into Sunday.
SUN	Closing Festival	Free afternoon and evening festival at the Pride Village.
SUN	Grote Markt Danst	Outdoor DJs, drag and street entertainment in the Historic Centre.

Pride Opening Night

• Wednesday – Antwerp Pride Opening Night @ OLT Rivierenhof
• Antwerp Pride will once again take over OLT Rivierenhof for a dazzling Antwerp Pride Opening Night. The Antwerp Pride kicks off with a lot of diverse and festive artists in the open air! The party starts at 6pm.
• Rivierenhof is a Leafy, expansive green space featuring ponds, trails, play equipment & an outdoor concert venue, 20 minutes drive from Antwerp’s old town.

Midsummer Pride

• Thursday  – The Draakplaats and Café Den Draak are transformed into one big party area for a Midsummer Party.
• The party starts at 5pm. Draakplaats is a 15-minute drive from the Old Town.

Pride in Town

• Friday – Friday’s Pride in Town programme spreads events across central Antwerp. Expect community meetings, exhibitions, talks, performances and parties hosted by local LGBTQ+ organisations, museums, cafés and bars.
• Recent Friday programmes have included:
• Outdoor karaoke at Grote Markt
• Pride events around Sint-Andriesplaats
• Café and terrace parties, Queer art exhibitions
• Community talks and workshops
• Late-night parties at Bonaparte and other central venues

Saturday – The Main Parade

• Saturday –The Antwerp Pride Parade traditionally starts near Brouwersvliet and Oudeleeuwenrui, before following the Scheldt waterfront and finishing at Cockerillkaai, home of the Love United Festiva.
• Participants usually gather near Hessenplein from late morning, with the parade departing around 14:00. The official 2027 route and timings are awaiting confirmation.
• Stay close to the parade at the Hotel Franq, rated “Excellent” by guests offering spacious designer rooms and convenient location.

The Pride Village

• Saturday 8th August, 2025 – From 15h – 22h to Sunday 9th August, 2025 – 12h – 20h
• The Pride Village traditionally takes over Cockerillkaai on the Scheldt Quays, sharing the main festival site with Love United on Saturday and the Closing Festival on Sunday.
• Community organisations, charities and Pride partners host information stands throughout the weekend.
• Stay close to the Pride Village at the Boutique hotel Maison Emile, rated “Wonderful” by guests offering perfectly preparted breakfasts in a carefully restored, stately townhouse.
• Admission is free and everyone is welcome to explore our rainbow community and make new friends.

Closing Festival

• Sunday – From 1 pm to 11 pm – Antwerp Pride ends with a free Sunday festival at the Pride Village.
• The programme usually begins during the early afternoon and continues into the evening with DJs, drag, pop performances and familiar singalong tracks.
• Arrive during the afternoon for a relaxed crowd. The atmosphere becomes busier toward the final performances.

Love United Festival

• Saturday and Sunday – The main festival is held at Cockerillkaai on the south part of town alongside the river.
• It is the central party hub of Antwerp Pride for the Love United Festival on Saturday and the Closing Festival on Sunday.
• Two stages will invite you to show your best moves and to party on until midnight.
• Cockerillkaai is a 12 minute drive from the Old Town.
• For a unique experience, stay at the Lit D’Art Hotel, a 4 star hotel rated “Exceptional” by guests, located close to the after party and the bars. The boutique hotel offers delicious breakfasts and sublime wellness centre.

Street Parties – Grote Markt Danst

• Bonaparte presents a weekend of open-air entertainment at Grote Markt, directly outside the bar. Recent editions have included: Friday outdoor karaoke, Saturday DJs and drag and a Sunday afternoon closing party.

Café DeLux Pride Weekend

• Café DeLux hosts four days of terrace parties Pride DeLux, DJs and drag performances near the Cathedral of Our Lady.
• The programme traditionally builds toward DeLux Pride Saturday and Pink Sunday, when the party expands around the café terrace.
• Café DeLux is at Melkmarkt 18, less than five minutes on foot from Grote Markt.
• Check out the top hotels close to the party at Grote Markt

Circuit Festivals & Parties

• Antwerp is home to some of Europe’s top gay parties. The Cargo Club hosts a weekend of parties and events including Red & Blue.
  Stay just 3 minutes from the Cargo Club, host of the biggest night parties at the Hotel Rubens-Grote Markt, rated “Fabulous” by guests with comfortable rooms and a gay-friendly welcome.
• HIM Antwerp Pride Edition –  Saturday – One of the most popular gay circuit events in the city featuring world class DJs, sexy dancers at IKON Antwerp from 11pm.
• Woodpop Pride Official After Party – Saturday –Takes over the legendary Waagnatie exhibition centre, from 11pm to 5am.
• A Hard Night – Saturday – The Boots, Antwerp’s infamous cruising club hosts a special pride party, not for the faint of heart!

Gay Antwerp

• Antwerp is famous for its beautiful historic old town centre, world-renowned diamond industry and vibrant gay scene.
• The city does not have one single gay village. Its LGBTQ+ venues are spread across several central neighbourhoods, though the distances remain manageable.
• The Historic Centre has the easiest concentration of gay bars, drag venues and Pride street parties. Grote Markt, Melkmarkt and the streets around the Cathedral are good starting points for a first visit.
• Theaterbuurt has gay and gay-popular cafés around Theaterplein and Oudevaartplaats. It is around 15 minutes on foot from Grote Markt.
• Schipperskwartier, north of the Historic Centre, is home to Cargo Club, TRAUM and several late-night venues. The district includes Antwerp’s historic red-light quarter.
• Eilandje is the redeveloped dockside district around MAS. It has restaurants, cocktail bars and several LGBTQ+ venues, with IKON located farther north.
• Zurenborg is home to Café Den Draak and Midsummer Pride. It feels distinct from the late-night centre, with large terraces and local restaurants around Draakplaats.

Getting Around Antwerp Pride

Antwerp’s Historic Centre is compact and best explored on foot. Grote Markt, Café DeLux, Bonaparte, the Cathedral and the riverfront are within a short walk of one another.

• Trams connect the centre with Zurenborg and Antwerp Central Station.
• Use a taxi for IKON, OLT Rivierenhof and late-night journeys from northern clubs.
• Walking from Grote Markt to Cockerillkaai takes around 20 minutes.
• Draakplaats is around 15 minutes from the centre by taxi or tram.
• Antwerp Central Station has direct rail connections to Brussels, Ghent, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
• Check the final tram times before entering a late-night party.
• Expect road closures and slower taxi journeys during the Saturday parade.

Where to stay?

The following Antwerp hotels are all close to the gay bars and clubs

Hotel Rubens,    Hilton Antwerp,    Hotel Julien,   Hotel Matelote