From 19 June to 31 August 2025, Zomer van Antwerpen or Summer of Antwerp returns for its 31st edition, once again transforming the city into a stage for theatre, music, circus and film in the most unexpected places. Spanning 74 days, it remains Europe’s longest summer arts festival and draws around 300,000 visitors annually for an ambitious programme of roughly 800 projects. This year, however, something truly distinctive is unfolding.

At the festival’s launch on Thursday 22 May, Antwerp’s alderman for Culture, Lien Van de Kelder (Vooruit), made clear that this edition will not be repeated. While classics like De Avonden’s wooden grandstand on Tavernierkaai, Muziek in de Wijk, Cinema Urbana, and crowd favourites such as Zomerbar and Zomerfabriek return, the focus in 2025 shifts notably towards emerging talent. 

According to Van de Kelder, Zomer van Antwerpen has “an exceptional nose for talent” and rarely opts for easy choices, with 80 percent of this year’s programme being new.

That commitment to fresh work means that many performances debuting in Antwerp this summer could go on to tour cultural centres or international stages. The festival’s structure also allows young creators time and space to grow, offering two-week runs that are rare in the current cultural climate.

Tenerife in Antwerp

One such debut comes from the duo Maria & Gina—alter egos of actresses Charlotte Verdick and Hanne Timmermans. Their performance ‘Playa de las Americas‘ at Lillo-Fort is a comic tribute to life’s simple pleasures, born from a holiday joke in Tenerife and developed into a full production. 

Verdick, known from ‘De Ideale Wereld‘, explains that being able to perform this work fifteen times as young creators is a rare privilege. “We studied together, we live together, and now we’re making our debut as creators. Zomer van Antwerpen gives us an enormous opportunity.”

Their show, aimed at audiences over 65, is just one example of the festival’s effort to cater to all generations and interests. Programmer Patrick De Groote notes that while audiences for Zomerfabriek may differ from those of Muziek in de Wijk, there’s a common thread of recognisability throughout the programme. 

From Maria & Gina’s comic warmth to Johannes Lievens’ exploration of unexpected turns in life at the Stuivenberg site, or Chimaera’s musings on life in the streets in the old first-class waiting room of Antwerp-Central Railway Station, each performance offers a mirror to the audience’s experience.

International

International and experimental highlights also abound. The Forman Brothers Theatre, run by the sons of ‘Amadeus‘ director Miloš Forman, brings a philosophical journey to a self-built theatre in Zomerfabriek. 

Meanwhile, Dans ma piscine sets a circus performance in a hexagonal aquarium in Park Groot Schijn, and Nocturne (Parade) introduces audiences to dancing plastic ballerinas inside the AthenA hall. ‘Falstaff‘, an accessible opera featuring Sien Eggers and Stefaan Degand, will play in the Fort of Borsbeek. Borsbeek, of course, is a new district of Antwerp.

The festival traditionally ends on a high note, and this year promises a memorable finale: in Park Groot Schijn, New Zealand performer Chloé Loftus will stage a spectacular aerial choreography with a wheelchair dancer, pushing the boundaries of movement and inclusion.

The full programme is now available online, with tickets going on sale Saturday 7 June at 10 AM via zva.be or by phone at 03/224.85.39. Visitors must create an account to purchase tickets and are advised to do so in advance or verify their login credentials ahead of time.

Zomer van Antwerpen invites locals and visitors alike—young and old, art lovers and the simply curious—to experience a summer of wonder, new voices and unexpected beauty. For the latest updates and practical info, follow @zomervanantwerpen on social media.

Summer of Antwerp

Zomer van Antwerpen is a multidisciplinary festival that transforms the Antwerp districts into a festival site all summer long. On average, a Zomer attracts more than 300,000 visitors, although this can increase to more than a million if, for example, De Reuzen comes along.

We focus on a surprising and varied programme with music, circus, theatre, dance and film at unexpected locations. This makes our festival a broad reflection of the city and its residents. 

The festival works intensively with cultural and non-cultural partners and stimulates co-creation. Special attention is paid to young makers and the global majority, with the aim of structurally involving emerging talent and diverse voices in the arts field. 

By using unusual locations and an accessible range, the festival aims to reach a wide audience, including young people, seniors and people with disabilities, with extra attention for their participation. The festival relies on the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and local partners and focuses strongly on sustainability and inclusivity.

Zomer van Antwerpen works closely with the City of Antwerp and is also supported by the Flemish Government.