28 festivals in 4 cities, soonest first.
28 food festivals with a guide across 4 cities in Belgium, in date order from today. Each opens the festival page with dates, what to eat and what to book around it. How these cities compare with the rest: the city food festival index.
Ghent's Veggie Thursday runs every week: restaurants add vegetarian menus, markets add veggie stalls and the city embraces plant-based eating.
EatVeggie Thursday market stalls near Korenmarkt: seasonal plant-based products not available on other weekdays.
TipVisit on a Thursday to access the broadest range of the city's vegetarian-friendly restaurants at their most enthusiastic.
Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
Cantillon holds public brewing sessions at its Anderlecht brewery, where visitors see lambic brewed; the brewery sets the dates and posts them online.
TipCantillon's website was down when we checked, so confirm the date, price and booking with the brewery before you plan around the session.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
Les Nocturnes du Sablon is a four-night event at the Sablon in late November; its 34th edition in 2025 had 15 chalets, jewellers and chocolatiers.
TipThe 2025 edition ran Thursday to Sunday; the dates of the next one are not yet announced, so check lesnocturnesdusablon.com.
Brussels strings its Christmas market from the Grand-Place to the Marche aux Poissons, with 238 chalets, an ice rink, curling and a giant wheel.
TipPlace de la Monnaie has chalets with dishes as well as gifts; the interactive map at map.plaisirsdhiver.be shows every chalet and attraction.
The Gentse Winterfeesten run 3 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 with more than 150 wooden huts from Sint-Baafsplein to Korenmarkt, selling snacks, mulled wine and crafts.
EatWarm jenever punch with Belgian chocolate: the classic winter combination at Sint-Baafsplein after dark.
TipThe village is smallest and most manageable on a weekday; weekends and public holidays draw the largest visitor numbers.
The Antwerp Christmas Market spans Grote Markt, Groenplaats and Handschoenmarkt from early December to early January. Around 100 stalls, glühwein, frites.
TipThe Ferris wheel returns to Steenplein each year. The hot chocolate stalls cluster near the cathedral.
A gourmet fair on 4 to 6 December 2026 in the Jan Garemijnzaal at the Belfry, during Winter Glow, with French, Belgian, Greek, Italian and Spanish producers.
TipEntry is free and needs no invitation; buy the tasting glass at the door (€3, or €5 for two) and return it on exit. Tastings are free: you pay only for drinks and bottles you buy.
The Handmade in Brugge MAKERSmarkt takes place at the City Halls from 18 to 20 December 2026, with handmade items, unique gifts and local produce.
TipEntry is free; it is open 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. on Friday 18 December and 11.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with gift wrapping on site.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
Meifoor Brugge, a funfair going back to a trade fair of 1200, fills 't Zand and the Koning Albert I-park with 90 rides and stalls selling waffles and frites.
TipIn 2026 the fair ran from 24 April to 17 May, with a reduced price day on 15 May, and closed from 13:00 to 17:00 on 14 May for the Holy Blood Procession.
Gent Smaakt is a five-day culinary festival in the centre of Ghent over the Ascension weekend: chefs cook under the Stadshal, the Korenmarkt turns into a street food festival, and Klein Turkije, Goudenleeuwplein and Poeljemarkt carry local producers and young chefs.
EatThe chefs' stands under the Stadshal, then street food on the Korenmarkt.
TipThe festival spreads over several squares a few minutes apart; start under the Stadshal and walk on to the Korenmarkt and Klein Turkije.
Antwerpen Proeft in Antwerp is Belgium's largest culinary festival each May at Waagnatie on Rijnkaai. Star chefs, top kitchens and street-food stalls share.
TipTickets sell out for the weekend. Friday evening is the quieter sitting.
Bierpassie Weekend turns Antwerp's restored Handelsbeurs off the Meir into a beer hall for three days each June, with brewers pouring more than 200 Belgian specialty beers. Entry and the beer talks are free.
TipOrder the starter pack (tasting glass, two tokens, catalogue) online before the end of May for the early-bird price; every beer costs one token.
Gent Jazz Festival takes over the Bijloke site in Ghent from 1 to 17 July 2027 with international jazz acts, plus food stalls and bars serving meals, cocktails and Omer beer.
EatArtisan cheese and charcuterie stalls from East Flemish small producers appearing only at the festival fringe.
TipTickets are needed (from about €39). Food and drink are paid by card at the on-site bars and stalls, and there are tables in the garden between concerts.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
The Ommegang procession fills the Grand-Place in early July; in 2026 the Renaissance Market ran at the Sablon from 1 to 4 July with more than 30 craftsmen.
TipTickets for the show are sold through Ticketmaster; the Renaissance Market at the Sablon opens at noon.
Ghent's ten-day city festival in July fills every square and alley with open-air food stalls, pop-up bars and street food from Belgian and world cuisines.
EatStoverij at the Vrijdagmarkt: beef braised in dark beer, ladled over frites in the historic market square.
TipThe festival is free entry; arrive early for the best stall position near Korenmarkt, where the densest food cluster forms.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
Brussels' main funfair fills the Boulevard du Midi for five weeks each summer; food stands open at 11:00, before the rides, with croustillons and candy floss.
TipFood stands open at 11:00 every day; the rides open at 15:00 on weekdays and 14:00 at weekends and on the eve of public holidays.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
On Belgium's national day the Marolles eats on Place du Jeu de Balle: a pot of Belgian mussels, De Corte fries and a sauce, from 5pm with bands.
TipBook online, as the online meals sell out; on the day, meals go on sale on the square from 20:30 at €35 rather than €32, subject to availability.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
Bollekesfeest in Antwerp is the city's De Koninck Bolleke beer street festival in the Zuid district, free over four days each late July with music.
TipFree entry. The Bolleke stem-glass is shared between De Koninck and Antwerp's food trucks.
Brussels erects the Meyboom tree at Rue des Sables every 9 August, a tradition from 1213. It is carried through taverns and must be up by 5pm.
TipIf the tree is not up by 5 pm, the privilege passes to Leuven; the tree is shown on the Grand-Place before it is carried to the corner of Rue des Sables and Rue du Marais.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
Seafront Midsummer on the old fish market in Zeebrugge, held on 15 August in 2024 and 2025, hosts the Visserijfeesten, which took place again in 2026.
TipIn 2024 Seafront ran 13:00 to 19:00 with an oyster bar, fish tastings, seating and music; its events page lists the next programme.
Belgian Beer Weekend fills the Grand-Place for three days in early September with 50+ breweries and 500+ beers. Entry is free; tastings use a prepaid card.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
Brussels Food Festival takes over Boulevard du Souverain in Auderghem each September, with about 30 stands and food trucks, four bars and free entry over three days.
TipEntry is free with no registration; in 2026 Friday ran 18:00 to 22:30, Saturday 11:00 to 22:30 and Sunday was the family brunch day, with a Kids corner on weekend afternoons.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
The Bruges Beer Festival fills the BMCC on Beursplein; its 18th edition on 12 and 13 September 2026 had around 50 breweries pouring some 350 beers.
TipEntry is free. You buy a starter package: Big Time (€35, 10 BABcoins, booklet and 15 cl glass) or Little Sips (€14.50, 2 BABcoins and a glass) at the venue.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
The West-Vlaamse Snorrenclub's Brugse Mosselfeesten serve mussels and oysters on the Vismarkt with live music; the 2026 edition ran on 19 and 20 September.
TipEntry is free. In 2026 the festival ran from Saturday 11:00 to Sunday 22:00, with performances on both days until 22:00.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
(H)eerlijk Brugge is Stad Brugge's and the Brugs Food Lab's free family food festival in the Koningin Astridpark; the 2026 edition had over 20 stands.
TipIn 2026 it ran on Sunday 20 September from 11:00 to 17:00, with three free workshops, including edible flowers, and activities for children.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
BXLBeerFest gathers about 30 independent craft breweries at Tour and Taxis; the 2024 edition ran 28 and 29 September with a 22 euro two-day ticket.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
Eat Festival is a chef-led food showcase: its 13th edition ran 26 to 29 September 2024 at the Gare Maritime; in 2026 it joined the Bright Brussels Festival.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
Film Fest Gent is Ghent's international film festival, in its 53rd edition from 7 to 18 October 2026, with screenings at Sphinx Cinema, Kinepolis and other city venues; it has no food programme.
EatFestival pop-up kitchen at Portus Ganda: a seasonal Flemish menu running only during the twelve festival days.
Calendar, month by month · Festivals by city · Belgium food guide
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