Experience

Fearless in uncertain times: Antwerp Pride confronts fear with hope

Posted by Timothy on

2026 marks the nineteenth (19th) edition of Antwerp Pride. From Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 August, Antwerp in Belgium will once again be taken over by rainbow vibes. Prides are a mix of celebration – parties – and activism and advocacy. For the 2026 edition, the organising committee focuses on fearing less and being fearless.

As hard-won LGBTQIA+ rights come under increasing pressure internationally, organisers of Antwerp Pride say this year’s event will place a stronger emphasis on hope, resilience and resistance under the theme ‘Fearless’.

Speaking to Antwerp Pride Magazine ahead of the festival, Antwerp Pride chair Geert Van Praet said the theme reflects growing anxiety within the LGBTQIA+ community about political developments around the world, while also expressing a determination to continue defending equality.

According to Van Praet, the theme emerged from discussions with Antwerp’s LGBTQIA+ organisations, which reflected on how they were feeling in light of current events. “The word ‘fearful’ came up most often. Not so surprising when you see everything that is happening,” he said.

Van Praet pointed to the international political climate, including the return of conservative and far-right movements and what he described as increasing attacks on fundamental rights. “President Donald Trump wants to impose his will on Europe, conservative and far-right lobbies are operating at full speed and have especially young people in their sights. They do not seem to be as progressive as we had hoped, but even question elementary women’s rights.”

At the same time, he said discussions also revealed feelings of courage and determination. “Words such as ‘courage’ and ‘resistance’ also emerged. A feeling that we have to push back before it is too late. We tried to capture those feelings in this theme.”

More than a celebration

Van Praet stressed that Antwerp Pride’s annual theme serves a broader purpose than branding the event. “It gives focus to the more than 70 activities organised during Pride Week; it opens the debate and provides direction for what we stand for. Antwerp Pride without a theme would only be a celebration, and we don’t want that.”

The theme, he added, is developed together with Antwerp’s LGBTQIA+ associations and belongs to the entire community.

A more pessimistic era

Van Praet contrasted today’s political and social climate with the optimism that characterised the early 2000s, when many European countries introduced marriage equality, adoption rights and improvements in transgender healthcare.

“There is a pessimism hanging over our times, in contrast to the beginning of this century when major steps were taken regarding our rights.”

He argued that this sense of uncertainty extends well beyond LGBTQIA+ communities. “There is an uneasy feeling throughout society. The message we constantly hear is that everything is exhausted, both literally and figuratively. There is no more money for pensions, the climate is exhausted, teachers are exhausted, peace is exhausted.”

According to Van Praet, this pessimism particularly affects younger generations and encourages a nostalgic view of society that risks undermining decades of progress. “That pessimism creates a nostalgic reflex, that everything used to be better in our white, patriarchal society with women at the hearth.”

He warned that similar tendencies can also emerge within parts of the LGBTQIA+ community itself. “Some groups also long for the time when we stood directly opposed to the rest of society, and sometimes even aggressively so.”

Van Praet argued that such sentiments create a dangerous environment in which established legal protections can come under attack. “Those sentiments form a dangerous cocktail because they lead to hard-won rights being called into question.”

He cited public criticism of Belgium’s anti-racism legislation as one example of broader attempts to weaken protections against discrimination.

“Nostalgia may be good for costume dramas, but a society must look to the future, and in that future our rights, as well as those of others who risk being discriminated against, must be safeguarded and strengthened. We must never and will never compromise on that.”

Pride as hope and protest

Against that backdrop, Van Praet believes Pride has an important role to play. “More than ever, Pride is hope this year.”

He said Antwerp Pride demonstrates that people from different backgrounds can live together with mutual respect. “We continue to take to the streets with protest and celebration to show that we are proud of who we are.”

Van Praet rejected the suggestion that Antwerp Pride has become too much of a party and not political enough. “Celebration is also a form of protest, isn’t it? And in these times, I think it is more than welcome.”

He acknowledged that previous attempts to organise policy discussions and debates during Pride Week attracted relatively small audiences. As a result, Antwerp Pride now organises many of its substantive events throughout the year instead. “We do see that more people are showing up.”

He also emphasised that anyone wishing to organise activities during Pride Week would receive support. “Pride does not belong only to the small group of core volunteers who work very hard every year to make it a beautiful Pride, but to the entire community.”

New programme highlights

Antwerp Pride 2026 will take place from 5 to 9 August.

Among this year’s returning initiatives is Queer Families in Town, which debuted in 2025 and will be expanded.

Van Praet said organisers want it to become a dedicated day where rainbow families and their children can experience Pride before activities continue later in the day for older visitors.

The cultural programme Pride In Town will once again be curated by Fleur Pierets and Kirsten van Teijn. Van Praet highlighted a specially commissioned poem by Antwerp city poet Esohe Weyden as one of the programme’s highlights.

While this year’s programme largely builds on established events, he hinted that larger additions are being planned for 2027, when Antwerp Pride celebrates its twentieth anniversary.

“Next year, Antwerp Pride celebrates its 20th anniversary, and we will surprise people with a few special additions.”

Concert helps fund free festival

One event outside the core Pride programme is Muziek aan het Water, featuring Laura Tesoro and Clouseau on the Thursday evening before the main festival.

Van Praet explained that the concert plays an important financial role. “Our festival grounds are built entirely from scratch every year. To make maximum use of the site, we organise an event for the general public on Thursday. The proceeds go entirely to Antwerp Pride.”

The income allows organisers to keep access to the Pride festival free during the weekend.

Reflecting on last year’s protest

Van Praet also reflected on the controversy surrounding the far-right group Voorpost, whose protest during the 2025 Pride parade sparked counter-protests and several arrests.

He described the incident as highly sensitive and said Antwerp Pride has since worked with the City of Antwerp to improve preparations for similar situations. “The legal tools to prevent this kind of protest are not always available.”

Together with Het Roze Huis, Antwerp Pride will organise resilience workshops for community members who wish to learn how to respond when confronted by hostile demonstrations.

Van Praet acknowledged that opinions within the LGBTQIA+ community remain divided over how such protests should be handled. “Some support the counter-protest, while others felt it went too far and believe we should simply ignore Voorpost.”

He stressed that Antwerp Pride listens to all perspectives. “We listen to all of these opinions and not just to one opinion.”

At the same time, he noted that organisers do not decide how police respond when public safety is at risk. “If the safety of the parade is endangered, the police have no choice but to intervene. We do not make that decision.”

Looking ahead

Asked what he is most looking forward to during Antwerp Pride 2026, Van Praet said it remains difficult to choose between the many events.

He highlighted the Opening Night at the Openluchttheater Rivierenhof as a traditional favourite, but said the atmosphere across the city is what makes Pride special.

“I especially look forward to the atmosphere in the city and to bringing all those people together. I truly feel the city change in a positive way during those days.”

With a smile, he added: “In an ideal world, every day is Pride. Although I think that would also be exhausting.”

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