It’s that time of the year again: Antwerp Pride and Antwerp Queer Arts Festival. Pride focuses on the second weekend of August: from Wednesday 10 to Sunday 14. AQAF runs from 5 to 28 August. In 2022, Antwerp Pride turns 15 and looks 15 years into the future under the banner of ‘Queertopia‘. AQAF hasn’t communicated a specific theme.

This year, there are eleven stories in Antwerp Pride’s Trail of Stories. The idea for the Trail of Stories started in 2020, to do do something visual for LGBTQIA+ pride in Antwerp. The trail could be done on your own or with your ‘bubble’. Remember that?

Even now the parade and the festivals are back in full swing, COVID-19 and monkeypox or not, the Trail of Stories remains. For Antwerp Pride, the Trail of Stories is an good opportunity to showcase diversity to the outside world, to and within the rainbow community. 

Officially, the 2022 edition of the Trail of Stories starts on Monday 1 August. But as city workers are not unnecessarily going to work on a Saturday or Sunday – as wages are rightly higher then – the installations were set up on Friday 29 July. So I went to check them out this Saturday morning. 

The 11 stops

I am presenting the 11 stories in what I think is a geographically logical sequence. I am starting at Antwerp-Central Railway Station. I am and remain a railwayman. 

1. Dena Vahdani. Central Station, Koningin Astridplein 27, 2018 Antwerpen. The story. 
2. Gregory Frateur. Operaplein 1, 2000 Antwerpen. The story. 
3. Nicola Brajato. Ossenmarkt, 2000 Antwerp. The story.
4. Hannes and Liesbeth of Café Den Draak. Hessenhuis, Hessenbrug 1, 2000 Antwerpen. The story.
5. Liliane Saint-Pierre. Museum Aan de Stroom (MAS), Hanzestedenplaats 1, 2000 Antwerpen. The story. 
6. Sem Lanau. Het Steen, Steenplein, 2000 Antwerpen. The story.
7. Marleen Hufkens. Grote Markt, 2000 Antwerpen. The story.
8. Michiko. coStA, Sint-Andriesplaats 24, 2000 Antwerpen. The story. 
9. Anneke and Pascale. LUF, behind M HKA, Cockerillkaai 32, 2000 Antwerpen. The story.
10. Johanna Pas. Hendrik Conscienceplein, 2000 Antwerpen. The story.
11. Mister Gay Belgium 2019 Matthias De Roover. Wapper, Meir 59, 2000 Antwerpen. The story. 

The Trail is a not a fluent loop, but it gives a nice purpose of a walk in the city centre of Antwerp. 

The map provided by Antwerp Pride does not match our numbering.

The trail

So, according to running, cycling and general sports app Strava the walk is 9.6 km. I did it in 1h44. I did get distracted by flags at Antwerp City Hall and rainbow basketball hoops.

At M HHKA, if you look well, you’ll spot a panel of last year’s Trail of Stories, sporting Charlie Dewulf.

Stories

The portraits were made by photographer Noortje Palmers. It is again a colorful mix of some famous and lesser known people from our community.

“This year we asked them the question: what does your Queertopia look like?”, says Antwerp Pride.

Based on their story, illustrator Mattias De Leeuw adapted the various photo portraits into a beautiful and inventive work of art.

You can find out the story of the person portrayed via a QR code, or you can read the story on antwerppride.com.

“They are all inspiring and sometimes moving stories about human dreams of an ideal LGBTQIA+ society.”

Antwerp Pride 2022 & Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2022

• Antwerp Pride 2022 theme, programme and schedule.
• Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2022 programme and schedule.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | ‘Trail of Stories’ from 1 to 31 August.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Opening concert night at OLT Rivierenhof.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Antwerp Pride Parade on Saturday 13 August 2022.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Love United Festival after the parade, at Cockerillkaai.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Eurovision Song Contest royalty Johnny Logan at Antwerp Pride Closing Festival.
• ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Pride Village at Cockerillkaai.
• Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2022 from 5 to 28 August.
• Full edition ft. parade and festival days for Antwerp Pride 2022.
• Antwerp Pride 2022 from 10 to 14 August for a 15th edition.
• AREAS OF ANTWERP | De Gerlachekaai at the Scheldt.
• AREAS OF ANTWERP | Sint-Andriesplein.
• Antwerp Pride 2021: “Long time, no see”.

Queer Antwerp

• Rainbow zebra crossings of Antwerp.
• Rainbow zebra crossing in Borgerhout.
• Antwerp’s LGBTQIA+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen needs new location by September 2022.
• 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 | LGBTQIA+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen looking for new manager or takeover.
• Antwerp’s LGBTQI bookshop Kartonnen Dozen looking for a new home.
• 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.

Darklands 2022-2023

• MONKEYPOX IN BELGIUM | Darklands warns visitors, as gay men are more at risk.
• Darklands 2023 to and from Deep Space.
• Darklands 2022 programme, schedule, gym and concert – 4 to 9 May in Antwerp.
• ANTWERP | Darklands 2022 set to go ahead as scheduled on 4 to 9 May.
• Darklands 2022 hints at postponement.
• Darklands 2022 introduces Puppy Walk through streets of Antwerp.
• Darklands 2022: 4 to 9 May at Waagnatie, Antwerp.
• Darklands 2020 was the last dance before COVID-19.