It’s summer so it’s time for Antwerp Pride and Antwerp Queer Arts Festival (AQAF). From 4 to 27 August 2023, AQAF hosts queer artists being queer, in the alternative, quirky, more rebellious sense of the word. Antwerp Pride, from 9 to 13 August, is more mainstream, openly catering to everyone and thus attracting a general, more mainstream LGBTQIA+ and allied public. This year’s pride theme is ‘Braveolution‘.

Last year, between 120,000 and 125,00 people attended Antwerp Pride on Saturday as a participant or as a spectator. I am told the organisation estimates a fifth of these, so between 20,000 and 25,000 stay on to celebrate and party after the parade and the festival. 

So you need many parties as not one can host so many people and a diverse public needs a diverse offering.

Enter VULGAR, a party on Saturday night. Organised by Dimitri Vantomme‘s Bonaparte karaoke bar, his party concept Pannekoek and JADA Events. Vantomme is not only a bar owner, he’s also a singer, a deejay and a member of the board of directors of Antwerp Pride. 

The venue is Antwerp Engineering Company (AEC) at Indiëstraat 10.

VULGAR

“DJ’s, dancers and drags. Gay as we want to, Queer as we are , party animals all over!”

Line-up includes Alex Chesko (FLASH BXL, The Belgian Pride), DJ Amari (Tomorrowland, Antwerp Pride), Dimitri d’Anvers. Drag’s and gogo’s by Injure Face.

Practical information and tickets. 

Other parties on Saturday

• Terrazza, at Twilight and Cock. Nieuwstad 6-8 (Theaterplein). 2 PM to 11.45 PM.
• Woodpop at Waagnatie. “Every month we show our pride, so during the Antwerp Pride we are even more proud.” From 11 PM to 5AM.
• Last year we moved to WAAGNATIE and because it was a fenomenal party we’ll be back this year.
• More people, more love, peace & pop music!
• Early bird tickets will go online Tuesday 4th of July 2023 at 10am!
• Belgian Puppy’s Social. The Belgian Puppies invites all the puppy’s and their handlers worldwide to their meeting point at The Boots Cellar Bar for a hot and naughty Puppy Social meeting. From 10.30 PM.
• A Hard Night. “This edition of A Hard Night is going to kick some ass! Enjoy the music of DJ Mally Clark. And yes, for the second time we have a ‘Club Edition’ which means that it goes on in the club The Boots AHN on Saturday August the 12th promises to be a hard one … and afterwords you can stay for the Antwerp Pride afterparty.” From 10 PM.
• Afterparty at The Boots. “Naughty night life goes on at The Boots. When the cock crows, the beats get pumpin’ at Europe’s no1 fetish club. Entrance for only € 4 to the epic after party at The Boots Club for all the kinky guys in town.” From 3AM (technically Sunday morning).
• Cutfest 2.0. Bar Cut. Noon to 11 PM.
• Zomer van Capital: Oh Honey & Zaika. Capital, Stadspark. From 10 PM.
• SHE. Women’s party at Red & Blue. From 11 PM.
• Terrace Party at Coyote. 2 PM to midnight. 
• H.I.M. IKON, Kotterstraat 3. “H.I.M is the only Circuit event during Antwerp Pride Weekend.” From 11 PM to 9 AM.

Antwerp Pride 2023 & Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2023

• ANTWERP PRIDE 2023 | 20 years Het Roze Huis and Café Den Draak’s Midsummer Party on Thursday 6 August at Draakplaats.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2023 | Introductory Queer Tour of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Antwerp (KMSKA).
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2023 | MAS Darling queer culture and film festival 9-10-11 August.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2023 | Love United Festival, post-parade concert and party.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2023 | Pride – WOMEN – In Town at Sint-Andriesplaats.
• Antwerp Pride Parade 2023 route & map.
• Antwerp Pride 2023 theme, programme and schedule highlights.
• BEYOND ANTWERP PRIDE | Discussing, educating, empowering and protesting for recognition of LGBTQIA+ people.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2023 | WE Fashion and OUTtv provide safe change / fitting rooms for going to the pride parade.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2023 | Holding hands for visibility on Sunday 13 August.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2023 | Eurovision’s Gustaph to perform at Closing Festival on Sunday 13 August.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2023 | Opening Night concert & party at OLT Rivierenhof.
• 4-27 AUGUST | Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2023 programme and schedule.
• 2023 Antwerp Pride Parade route includes Kloosterstraat and a hello to czar Peter the Great.
• Antwerp Pride 2023 Festival at Cockerillkaai.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 9-13 AUGUST 2023 ‘BRAVEOLUTION’ | Make Antwerp a brave and safe.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2023 | ‘Braveolution’ to Brave Space Antwerp.
• Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2023 seeks contributors.
• ANTWERP PRIDE | Geert Van Praet succeeds retiring chairperson Bart Abeel.
• PHOTOS | Antwerp Pride 2023 from Wednesday 9 to Sunday 13 August.

Darklands 2023-2024

• Darklands 2024 from 27 February to 4 March.
• ANTWERP | Darklands 2024 going into ‘The Void’ under new, stricter city rules.
• “Darklands: The Hotel was an idea of A-Stay”.
• DARKLANDS 2023 | Programme and schedule.
• DARKLANDS 2023 | A-Stay to become official Darklands: The Hotel.
• Darklands 2023 from Tuesday 7 to Tuesday 14 March in Antwerp.
• Darklands 2023 to and from Deep Space.

Queer Antwerp

• Antwerp Pride, Jeffrey’s, Marie Antoinette, Armand Everaert win 2023 Touristico Gaylive Awards.
• ANTWERP | LGBTQIA+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen stops.
• Rainbow zebra crossings of Antwerp.
• Rainbow zebra crossing in Borgerhout.
• Rainbow zebra crossing in Berchem.
• City chronicle ‘De kleur van de stad maakt mijn ziel amoureus’ recounts Queer Antwerp history.
• ‘Masculinities: Liberation through Photography’ exhibition at FOMU, Antwerp’s photography museum.
• Antwerp’s LGBTQI+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen wins Çavaria Media Award.
• PHOTOS | Rainbows lit Antwerp.
• Flemish LGBTQI+ press support rainbow community in Ukraine.
• ALLEMAAL ANTWERPENAAR | Antwerp launches campaign to motivate citizens to stand up against discrimination and intimidation.
• Borgerhout flies intersex inclusive Rainbow Progress Pride Flag for IDAHOT.