Brussels Pride – The Belgian & European Pride 2023 programme and schedule, parade route and itinerary

The Belgian Pride is dead. Long live the Brussels Pride – The Belgian & European Pride. The Brussels Pride is now run by Visit.Brussels, the tourism agency of the Brussels-Capital Region. Brussels Pride launched a new website with a programme and a schedule.

Brussels Pride returns on Saturday 20 May. Brussels Pride – The Belgian & European Pride will, once again, be putting the LGBTQIA+ community in the spotlight and decorating the streets of Brussels in rainbow colours, a press release says.

Protect the Protest

This year, the theme will be ‘Protect the Protest‘. It’s an appeal to respect the fundamental right to protest that is still too often denied in many countries around the world.

Brussels opens the European pride season. The organisers expect no fewer than 150,000 people marching through the streets of Brussels to defend their rights and celebrate diversity. This year, Brussels Pride is keener than ever to highlight this protest as essential for maintaining the fundamental rights of the LGBTQIA+ community.

The theme chosen for Brussels Pride this year is ‘Protect the Protest’. Protesting is a fundamental human right. Unfortunately, this right is too often sorely tested in many countries, even in Europe and Belgium.

The Belgian LGBTQIA+ movement is aware of how crucial the freedoms of association and expression are in the pursuit of progress. These rights must, therefore, be granted or uphelp in Belgium, Europe and all over the world.

This year, the event has slightly changed its name, to highlight its Brussels roots and confirm its attachment to Belgium and the European Union as a whole.

Parade and Village

On Saturday 20 May, the Pride Parade will take place in the capital’s streets and the Pride Village will welcome numerous associations. LGBTQIA+ artists will perform on several stages spread throughout the city centre. Around a hundred partners, associations and artists will work together to ensure it’s an unforgettable day.

The Rainbow Village and the LGBTQIA+ establishments of the Saint-Jacques district, in the heart of the capital, will once again be partnering the event to ensure that the city’s streets are filled with life all weekend long.

Safer Space

Brussels Pride is an inclusive event open to all. SAFER Pride spaces will be present in several strategic places to make sure everyone is safe. These spaces will allow everyone to feel safe and report any inappropriate of offensive behaviour based on their gender and/or identity.

Mini-Pride

In reality, Brussels Pride will be starting well before 20 May. The traditional Mini-Pride is taking place on Wednesday 10 May 2023 and marks the beginning of Pride Week. The procession will travel through the streets of the Saint-Jacques district. It will hail Manneken Pis, who’ll be dressed in a costume designed especially for the occasion.

Culture

The cultural sector will also be joining the event with LGBTQIA+ artists and projects planned, in collaboration with Brussels Pride – The Belgian & European Pride. The Design Museum Brussels, among others, presents the Brussels Queer Graphics exhibition produced in collaboration with STRIGES – the

Structure for Interdisciplinary Research on Gender, Equality and Sexuality. The exhibition highlights the visual language of the LGBTQIA+ communities in Brussels from the 1950s to the present day.

Ranbow-lit buildings

Last but not least, in the week leading up to Brussels Pride, many buildings across the Brussels-Capital Region will be illuminated and decorated in the colours of the rainbow flag.

Brussels Pride – The Belgian & European Pride is a chance to celebrate diversity but also to defend and demand LGBTQIA+ rights, with a view to making society more inclusive and equal. Beyond its festive dimension, Brussels Pride is an opportunity to promote the rights and demands of the community and initiate policy ideas, now more than ever.

Amnesty International

‘Protect the Protest’ is an Amnesty International campaign. Brussels Pride is proud to support this global campaign, by focusing on LGBTQIA+ protests around the globe.

Brussels Pride Week

From 10 to 19 May, in various locations in the capital. Brussels Pride Week is 10 days of events proposed by LGBTQIA+ activists, collectives, associations and allies.

The event shines the spotlight on events that make the Belgian LGBTQIA+ communities shine and are inclusive, empowering, safe and sustainable.

Brussels Pride Week will take place at important sites for the LGBTQIA+ communities such as the Grands Carmes, RainbowHouse Brussels, several museums and cultural centres in Brussels, but also in Flanders and Wallonia.

Pride Village

Saturday 20 May, noon to 6 PM. The Pride Village is an area in which you can find a variety of organisations. Whether private or public, these organisations aim to play an informative and preventive role, working together with the LGBTQIA+ community.

Located on Boulevard de l’Empereur, near the Mont des Arts, the Pride Village offers the opportunity to learn more about LGBTQIA+ organisations and associations.

Pride Parade

20 May from 2 PM, setting off from the Mont des Arts.

The Pride Parade is one of Brussels Pride – The Belgian & European Pride 2023’s flagship events. Pride’s objective is to celebrate diversity, tolerance and acceptance of all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, through a parade that travels through the streets of the capital.

The Pride Parade is a procession that moves through the streets of Brussels, accompanied by props, floats and a festive, musical atmosphere. The parade leaves from the Mont des Arts at 2 PM and is expected to arrive around 5 PM.

So yes, motorised vehicles are back.

Everyone is welcome to participate in the Pride Parade, whether you are an organisation or an individual. If you want to participate with your band, you need to register online at brusselspride.eu. Registration is free and allows you to join the parade on foot or with your own float and your own band.

Children and people with disabilities are also more than welcome at the Pride Parade. Accessibility and inclusiveness are essential and measures are taken to make the Parade an event that is open to all.

Participants are welcomed on site from 11 AM.

Pride parade itinerary

The parade itinerary is 1.4 km long or 0.87 miles.

Start at Mont des Arts / Kunstberg.
Rue Saint-Jean / Sint-Jansstraat.
Place Saint-Jean / Sint-Jansplein.
Rue Lombard / Lombardstraat.
Rue du Marché au Charbon / Kolenmarkt.
Plattesteen.
Avenue Anspach / Anspachlaan.
Borgval.
Rue du Fossé aux Loups / Wolvengracht.
Rue des Augustins / Augustijnestraat.
Rue de Laeken / Lakenstraat.
Place de Brouckère / De Brouckèreplein.

Concerts & DJ sets

Saturday 20 May, from noon to 11 PM.

Three stages will be set up with a diverse programme which respects the values of the event and honours Brussels and Belgian talent.

Trip By Trip