GAY ANTWERP | Darklands 2026 becomes Beyond Darklands

In a teasing reel on Instagram, Darklands announces some changes for 2026. Without actually giving away much. Beyond Darklands is the new name. “Beyond Darklands is the future”, a source tells me. The Instagram account now says ‘Beyond Darklands Festival Antwerp 🇧🇪’.

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“Let’s start by saying ‘thank you’ to everyone who has been part of our 15 year Darklands story”, (Beyond) Darklands organiser Jeroen Van Lievenoogen says on the Darklands website. A message from before the 2025 edition.

“I look forward to celebrating together in February and March. The quays alongside the River Scheldt have protected the city from the raging waters for centuries and are undergoing a much-needed renewal and reinforcement, including the section in front of our home, Waagnatie.

“Although the venue itself will remain available, the surrounding area will be repurposed as construction site. For the vast outdoor festival site, a long hibernation awaits, well beyond 2030. And so ends the wondrous 15-year journey of this unique kink festival.”

“But, …, every ending bears a new beginning. A new destination emerges from the many exciting ideas that have been ripening, waiting for the right time to shine.

We have been preparing for this moment for a while now and are excited about the new concept we will be able to share starting in 2026. “

“Instead of spreading out wide over the Waagnatie festival grounds … we are going up … and deep.”

“Are you ready to discover what lies Beyond Darklands? In the coming months more details will be revealed.We have an otherworldly concept, taking kink to a whole new level. With as much love and dedication as we did before.”

Previously

Darklands started as LeatherPride Belgium. Then it became Leather & Fetish Pride Belgium. Darklands was the name of the day festival, but as a brand took over for everything.

Future

Beyond Datklands will work in layers, as a javanais layer cake. The firm lines between daytime fair and party-hardy nighttime will also blurr.

Transformation of the Rijnkaai

The Rijnkaai, the area around Waagnatie in Antwerp, will undergo significant changes in the coming years. This is being managed by municipal real estate agency AG Vespa.

The quay area and harbour warehouses will be repurposed, giving them new meaning for the city. The redevelopment aims to strengthen the connection between the city and the Scheldt, transforming the quay area into an attractive public space.

According to the Scheldt Quays Master Plan, the harbour warehouses may accommodate urban functions such as community spaces, leisure and socio-cultural facilities, catering establishments, or offices. To guide the high-quality development of this historically significant area, the city has drawn up a spatial implementation plan (RUP).

Preservation of culturally and historically significant heritage

The RUP protects several heritage elements, including the harbour warehouses Hangar 26/27 and Waagnatie, the collection of historical harbour cranes, nuclear shelters, the two mooring posts of the Red Star Line, and archaeological remains of the 16th-century quay wall and the St Lawrence Bastion.

Hangar 26/27 and the Waagnatie will be given a new purpose to ensure their long-term preservation. Modifications and extensions to these warehouses will be allowed as long as their recognizable appearance is maintained.

New public space

To enhance flood protection, the Scheldt Quays are being raised and reinforced as part of the Sigma Plan (2005), a project led by Vlaamse Waterweg nv. The new water barrier will be integrated into the quayside, maintaining accessibility through a gentle slope from the city. A raised square extending from Londen-Amsterdamstraat will serve as a viewing point over the Scheldt, the quays, and the city.

The continuous walkway along the historic mooring quay, known as the ‘Blauwe Steen,’ will bring the Scheldt closer to the city.

This walkway will remain at its current level, preserving historical elements such as cobblestone paving and train tracks. It will be positioned behind the new water barrier, with access to the city ensured through gates in the barrier or a mobile water barrier.

Pedestrians and cyclists

With the removal of the current water barrier, pedestrians and cyclists will gain direct access to the Scheldt quays. The continuous cycle path along the Scheldt Quays will be a crucial link in Antwerp’s cycling network, with efforts to minimize and secure intersections between cyclists and motor vehicles.

Public transport

The Rijnkaai will be connected to the Leien and the Havenhuis (Port House) via a bus line and a tram connection.

Motorised traffic

Roads along the quayside will be modified to ensure a safe traffic connection with the Rijnkaai.

A new entrance will be created at the intersection of Rijnkaai and Londen-Amsterdamstraat, with additional access points for emergency and service vehicles. The northern entrance to the quayside will remain.

Parking

The current parking arrangement on the quayside will be removed. Alternative parking solutions include fully underground parking, a combination of underground and above-ground parking, or a fully above-ground parking facility with a maximum height of one floor.

The end of Waagnatie?

In 2022, then-Alderman Annick De Ridder (N-VA) and then-Mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA) wanted to tear down the present Municipal Theatre or Stadsschouwburg at Theaterplein and have a new theatre complex built on the site of Waagnatie.

This would not only mean the end of the Waagnatie as such, but also remove an events hall in the centre of Antwerp. Luckily other political parties are not going along and now the issue will be “studied”.

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