No pride without a theme to act as guideline for all sorts of activities. For the first ever Limburg Pride, in Hasselt in 2025, the theme will be ‘Love Yourself, Embrace the Journey‘.

“The theme of the first Limburg Pride will revolve around mental health, mental health within the LGBTI community in particular, but of course also everyone outside of it”, Limburg Pride chairman Bert Brone says. 

“We are going to create safe spaces. We will do that within the entire pride of course, but also for companies, partners and associations. We may even provide training for this. We provide low-stimulus zones during pride, so that people who are sensitive to overstimulation can catch their breath somewhere.”

“Mental well-being is increasingly gaining attention, it is becoming increasingly important,” Brone explains to Gaylive.be. “There is more and more research being done on the mental health of people in general and people within the LGBTI community in particular. A recent study by Flemish umbrella organisation çavaria shows once again that there is quite a bit of work to be done on the mental health of LGBTI people.”

13 July 2025

The first pride will pass over the Hasselt Small Ring Road (Kleine Ring) on Sunday 13 July. About twenty floats can participate in the parade. 

The official starting shot will be given at 1 PM in the form of a few speeches on the stage at the Pride Village that will be located on the Kolonel Dusartplein. This rainbow village will be staffed by about fifty stallholders, including several stallholders who focus on mental well-being. 

“We do indeed have a very large pride village. That is what we wanted from the start. We expect about fifty stallholders. We are going to work that out by turning it into a kind of village. That is a fairly large project that we will continue to work out together with the final year students of the tourism department here at the PXL Hasselt.” 

From 4 PM there will also be performances by many artists. “We expect 15,000 visitors, from all over the country, but even from neighbouring countries”, Brone says.

Safe(r) spaces

Mental well-being at pride and beyond is also an important point of attention. For example, Safe(r) spaces will be set up where everyone can be themselves without fear of discrimination or prejudice, and low-stimulus zones. 

“There will also be a special location where visitors can have a short free consultation with mental health professionals and there will be information points where visitors can learn more about mental well-being and where they can go for further support.” 

“We also want to provide the opportunity for visitors to have a free consultation with a professional at specific locations, which will probably be near the low-stimulus zones. We want to make this as accessible as possible, by doing it for free on the one hand, and by keeping it short. These consultations will last about twenty minutes and afterwards, if necessary, a referral can be made to further professional help.””

In the run-up to Limburg Pride on 13 July, there will also be a series of actions and events that will highlight the theme of mental well-being, and a Wellness Walk will be launched through Hasselt.

The latest on prides in Belgium

• Leuven Pride 2024 parade route from railway station to Ferdinand Smoldersplein.
• Liège Pride 2025 on Friday 22, Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 August.
• Antwerp Pride 2025 from Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 August.
• CHARLEROI PRIDE | Three days of inclusivity and festivities.
• Antwerp Queer Arts Festival from 3 to 31 August 2024: programme.
• Darklands 2025 from Tuesday 25 February until Monday 3 March.
• Brussels Pride 2024 programme starts on Wednesday 8 May with Pride Opening at Molenbeek and a Pride Week.
• Darklands 2025 theme: ‘Darklands Glows’, stays at Waagnatie until 2030.
• Queer March Ghent 2024 on Saturday 30 March at Viernulvier.