WINTER IN ANTWERP 2025-2026 | 1.5M visitors, 120K for New Year’s fireworks

The City of Antwerp has brought a highly successful edition of Winter in Antwerp (Winter in Antwerpen) to a close with its traditional New Year’s treat, capping four weeks of winter festivities across the historic city centre. This year’s edition attracted a total of 1.5 million visitors, confirming its status as one of the strongest winter events the city has ever staged.

The annual New Year’s Eve fireworks along the River Scheldt were once again a major draw. On the night of 31 December 2025, an estimated 120,000 spectators gathered along the riverbanks and in the historic centre to welcome 2026 with a large-scale fireworks display.

Strong opening weekend and sustained attendance

The event got off to a flying start, with 170,000 visitors attending during the opening weekend alone. Over the course of four weeks, visitors enjoyed Christmas markets, winter lighting, food and drink, live music and performances spread across seven locations in the inner city. With 1.5 million visits in total, the city describes this edition as a clear “top year” for Winter in Antwerp.

Mayor Els van Doesburg (N-VA) expressed her satisfaction with the results, noting that the event “shone brighter than ever” this year. According to the mayor, the strong visitor numbers underline Antwerp’s ability to offer a distinctive experience in every season.

Visitors from Belgium and abroad

As in previous years, Winter in Antwerp attracted a broad mix of local, national and international visitors. Alongside residents of Antwerp and visitors from across Flanders, the event welcomed a significant international audience.

The largest group of foreign visitors came from the Netherlands, followed by Germany and Spain, reinforcing Antwerp’s position as a popular winter city break destination in North-West Europe.

Markets, music and winter attractions

The winter programme was spread across seven atmospheric locations, each with its own focus.

On the Grote Markt, the Christmas market, wish tree and numerous food and drink stalls created a warm, festive atmosphere. The JOE Christmas House added a strong musical element, with live broadcasts and sing-along moments.

The Singing Christmas Tree on the Handschoenmarkt featured performances by 23 choirs, organised by Koor & Stem, with audiences encouraged to join in.

More than 2,600 wishes were hung in the Christmas wish tree on the Grote Markt, while the main Christmas tree alone was decorated with 1.2 kilometres of lights. In total, the city installed 21 small and three large Christmas trees across the event area.

The popular light tunnels on the Suikerrui once again proved to be one of the most photographed attractions. On Groenplaats, visitors of all ages flocked to the 1,000 m² covered ice rink and the winter bar Den Après.

Operaplein featured a new viewing column and a nostalgic carousel, while Hendrik Conscienceplein was transformed into a gastronomic hotspot with Your Divine Xmas, combining live jazz with a baroque and belle époque-inspired setting.

On Steenplein, the new Bar Brabo, launched by Duvel Moortgat and AB InBev, opened its doors, while the Ferris wheel returned to its iconic position along the Scheldt, offering panoramic views of the city.

Strong participation from local businesses

Local entrepreneurship also played a visible role. One in four stallholders at the Christmas market were Antwerp-based entrepreneurs, and 80% of stallholders indicated they intend to return in future editions, underlining the event’s economic appeal.

New Year’s fireworks and closing tradition

The New Year’s Eve fireworks show remained one of the highlights of the winter season. At midnight on 31 December, the sky above Antwerp lit up as tens of thousands of spectators lined the Scheldt and filled the historic streets to mark the start of the new year.

The closing day of Winter in Antwerp, on 4 January, followed a long-standing tradition. The city treated visitors to a free snack, drink or complimentary visit to one of the winter attractions, distributing nearly 50,000 tokens.

The city council also delivered a New Year’s message on the Grote Markt, followed by communal sing-alongs of the Antwerp anthem ‘Antwaarpe‘ by De Strangers and ‘De lichtjes van de Schelde‘ by Bobbejaan Schoepen.

With record visitor numbers, strong international appeal and high participation from local businesses, Winter in Antwerp 2025-2026 closes as one of the city’s most successful winter editions to date.