The sixteenth edition of Antwerp Pride will take place this year from Wednesday 9 to Sunday 13 August. More than ever, Antwerp Pride focuses on content, but the usual festive ingredients are also present. Antwerp Pride is also proud to have booked Belgium‘s Eurovision representative Gustaph to perform at the Closing Festival on Sunday 13 August 2023.

With ‘Braveolution‘ as the theme, Antwerp Pride wants to think about how we can make Antwerp a brave space. Not only during the Pride days in August, but all year round.

“If Antwerp were a brave space, everyone could develop into who he/she/them is within a respectful society and with the support of fellow citizens, colleagues, family, government,…”, says Antwerp Pride spokesperson Wilfried Eetezonne.

“Then it would be normal to walk hand in hand with someone of the same gender identity or to dress in a way that goes against the imposed heteronormative norms. Then there would be no discussion about inclusive language use or gender-neutral toilets. Although we are very grateful that a lot has already been achieved in our society, in reality we notice that a lot of courage is still needed to take certain very simple steps.”

Brave

For Antwerp Pride, the LGBTQIA+ community has been very brave in recent decades by standing up for equal rights and striving for an inclusive society.

“With Braveolution, we want to reach out to all of society to be equally courageous and we want to say: have the courage to stand up to discrimination and respond if you witness it. Have the courage to install that gender-neutral toilet in your school or company. Have the courage to learn and use the new pronouns. Have the courage to support someone going through transition…. If we want to go to that inclusive city, it is not only up to the queer community to be brave, but it is everyone’s job because everyone benefits from a free and respectful society”, Antwerp Pride says.

Beyond Antwerp Pride

An in-depth substantive section was developed around this theme in collaboration with Het Roze Huis Antwerpen, Wel Jong and çavaria. Under the name Beyond Antwerp Pride we will advocate the Braveolution for four days.

“On Wednesday we will debate why safe(r) and brave spaces are necessary for our community. On Thursday we organize a workshop on how to create a brave space at work, in your association, at school or just in your environment. On Friday, çavaria will give a workshop on the anti-gender movement and how to deal with it.”

Holding hands

On Sunday we make a special appeal to the entire city. After all, a survey by VTM last year showed that for more than a quarter of Flemish people it is not possible for people with the same gender identity to walk hand in hand on the street.

“That should be over, we think at Antwerp Pride. Walking hand in hand on the street with someone of the same gender identity should be possible without being disapproved of by stern looks or worse.”

“That is why we call on all Antwerp residents, regardless of how you identify yourself, to walk hand in hand in the street on Sunday 13 August with someone with the same gender identity or with someone who does not dress according to gender.”

“For example, if you have a partner, but you usually don’t dare to walk hand in hand: then this is your day. For example, if you are a straight man, walk hand in hand with your straight best friend, a drag queen, or someone from the LGBTQIA+ community who identifies as a man. For example, as a single woman you always walk hand in hand with a friend, do it extra this day!”

“In short, if everyone walks hand in hand, we turn the entire city into a brave space and send a signal that this is the most normal thing in the world. Hopefully we can do this undisturbed on all other days when it’s not Pride. Because we like to parade in the city!”

Women in the spotlights

Antwerp Pride kicks off this year on Wednesday 9 August at OLT Rivierenhof with a dazzling opening night with performances by Quatsch Collective, Martha Da’ Ro, Grace, Grigri Y El Macho Fantastico and DJ SAHЯA.

The Antwerp Pride Parade will depart on Saturday 12 August at 2 PM. The participants of the parade first gather on Sint-Jansplein. For practical reasons, the parade will start a little further on the course this year, namely on the Oude Leeuwenrui and from there it will go to the Scheldt Quays.

The parade leaves the quays at the height of the pedestrian tunnel, to continue the journey via Sint-Jansvliet, Kloosterstraat and Scheldestraat via Cockerillkaai to the end point at De Gerlachekaai. At that moment the Antwerp Pride Love United festival starts on the Cockerillkaai.

Safe outfit change

New this year is that OUTtv and WE Fashion at the Meir provide changing rooms. If you don’t have the opportunity to put on your pride outfit at home or if you don’t want to come to Antwerp in your outfit, you can reserve a changing room in the WE store on the Meir. You can get ready there and then go to the start of the parade.

The Love United Festival will again take place this year on the Scheldt Quays near the Cockerillkaai and will start at 3 PM. Various deejays will play on two stages, including Sharon of Love, Amari & MC Tally, Digna, Kevin Legolane, Bust N’ Tears & Jimmy Kidd, Dokter T, Laurens Luyten… The party lasts here until midnight and admission is free.

Pride Village

The Pride Village in which numerous LGBTQIA+ organizations present themselves is also located on this festival site.

Pride In Town

Pride In Town gets a new interpretation this year and becomes Pride – Woman – In Town. At the atmospheric Sint-Andriesplaats we are setting up a smaller festival far from the beats and the spots for everyone who needs a quieter Pride experience.

As the name suggests, lesbian, bisexual, queer and trans women are in the spotlight here. In a program curated by Kat Van Nuffel, Fleur Pierets, Manny Willy and Nathalie Delporte, you can enjoy spoken word, literature, musical performances and deejay sets.

Pride – Women – in Town is organised in collaboration with the cultural meeting centre coStA.

Closing Festival concert

On Sunday, the Closing Festival takes over the large festival site at the Scheldt Quays. From 2 PM to 11 PM you can sing and dance along with great artists and some guilty pleasures. Among the artists, among others: the queens of the Antwerp Show Ball led by Sederginne, Carolina Dijkhuizen, Dimitri D’Anvers, Les Copines and DJ Kat close this edition of Antwerp Pride. The Belgian sensation of the Eurovision Song Contest Gustaph could of course not be missed on our stage. Admission is also free here.

Partner parties 

Of course, our partners organize a lot of official pride parties in between. On Thursday evening 10 August there will be the traditional Midsummer party at Café Den Draak. 

On Friday evening Twilight and Café Cock organize another Roof of Love on the Theaterplein. 

On Saturday evening/night it will be an extra smashing edition of Woodpop at the Waagnatie, there are the fetish parties in The Boots, Oh Honey party in the Droogdokkenpark and Café Capital, and there are many other parties in cafés DeLux, Jeffrey’s, Hessenhuis or Bonaparte celebrating a whole week.

Antwerp Queer Arts Festival

The colleagues of the Antwerp Queer Arts Festival also have a rich program ready (www.queerarts.be).

MAS Darling

For the first time, the Museum At the Stream (Museum Aan de Stroom, MAS) is organizing the MAS Darling festival. On 9, 10 and 11 August you can go there for lectures, films and music in the context of pride.

For all practical information and tickets: www.antwerppride.com or in our shop in the Stadsfeestzaal, which will be open from Saturday 5 August at 10 am.

Everything at a glance

• Antwerp Queer Arts Festival: from 4-27 August – various locations – tickets at organisation.
• Pride Information Center: 5-13 August – Stadsfeestzaal.
• Pride Week at Bonaparte: from 6-13 August – Bonaparte – free.
• Beyond Antwerp Pride: Debate safe or brave: 9 August – location to be determied – free.
• Pride Opening Night: 9 August – OLT – Admission 12 – 15 – 18 euros.
• Roof of Love – 9 August – Theaterplein – free.
• Beyond Antwerp Pride: How to Create a Brave Space – 10 August – Het Roze Huis – free.
• Midsummer Party – 10 August – Den Draak – free.
• Beyond Antwerp Pride: How to deal with the counter-movement – 11 August – De Studio – free.
• Xtreme Fetish – 11 August – The Boots – tickets at organiser.
• Oh Honey – 11-12 August Dry Dock Park – Café Capital – tickets with the organiser.
• Sugar Twins – 11 August – Jeffrey’s – free.
• Antwerp Pride Parade – 12 August – start De Paardenmarkt – free.
• Love United Festival – 12 August – Cockerillkaai – free.
• Antwerp Pride Village – 12 August – Cockerillkaai – free.
• Pride Women In Town – 12 August – Sint-Andriesplaats – free.
• Pride Saturday at Delux – 13 August – DeLux – free.
• Woodpop – 12 August – Waagnatie – tickets at the organisation.
• A Hard Night – 12 August – The Boots – tickets at organisation.
• Closing Festival – 13 August – Cockerillkaai – free.
• Pink Sunday at Delux – 13 August – Delux – free.
• Hessenhuis Pride – 13 August – Hessenhuis – free.

Antwerp Pride 2023 & Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2023

• 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.