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Whether you’re living in the country or just visiting, it’s important to note the dates of Belgium’s holidays as many businesses typically close. Annually there are 10 Belgian national holidays for workers, seven of which have fixed dates each year.
To ensure you don’t miss out on anything important, read this list of Belgium’s public holidays. You’ll also find a list of important dates for your calendar below.
Walibi
Discover the excitement of Walibi’s roller coasters and enjoy a family-friendly day out with a range of gentle rides, thrills, and captivating live shows. Visit Walibi for an exhilarating experience and wonderful entertainment for visitors of all ages.
Belgian public holidays: an overview
Most of the holidays in Belgium are observed nationwide. However, some holidays are only celebrated regionally for the country’s three language communities:
- Dutch-speaking Flanders
- French-speaking Wallonia
- German-speaking provinces in eastern Wallonia
During Belgium’s public holidays (a holiday is called jour férié in French and feestdag in Dutch), Belgian businesses – with the exceptions of police stations and hospitals – close. This is increasingly changing, however.
One of the most important holidays is Belgium’s national day. This day is celebrated with big festivities and military shows. There also plenty of popular regional Belgian festivities, such as Carnival and a number of top Belgian festivals, which are not official public holidays.
When Belgium’s bank holidays fall on a Thursday or Tuesday, some companies close on the Friday or Monday to make the bridge (faire le pont/de brug maken). This ensures that employees get a long weekend away from work.
The law prohibits working during national holidays in Belgium, although exceptions exist. In such situations, an employee should receive a compensation day within six weeks following any Belgian holiday they worked
It’s important to note that if a Belgian holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the public holiday doesn’t typically transfer to another day in the week.
Belgian public holidays in 2024
| Date | Holiday |
| 1 January (Monday) | New Year’s Day |
| 1 April (Monday) | Easter Monday |
| 1 May (Wednesday) | Labor Day |
| 9 May (Thursday) | Ascension Day (40 days after Easter) |
| 20 May (Monday) | Whit Monday – the seventh Monday after Easter, also known as Pentecost Monday |
| 21 July (Sunday) | Belgium National Day (Belgian Independence Day) – commemorates the day Leopold I took the constitutional oath as the first King of Belgium in 1831 |
| 15 August (Thursday) | Assumption Day (Assumption of Mary) |
| 1 November (Friday) | All Saints’ Day |
| 11 November (Monday) | Armistice Day |
| 25 December (Wednesday) | Christmas Day |
Regional Belgian public holidays in 2024
| Date | Regional holiday |
| 11 July (Thursday) | Celebration of the Golden Spurs (Day of the Flemish Community) – celebrates the victory of the count of Flanders and the borough militia against the king of France outside Courtrai |
| 27 September (Friday) | Day of the French-speaking Community – commemorates the victory of the patriots against the Dutch army in Brussels in 1830 |
| 15 November (Friday) | Day of the German-speaking Community – the date a decree was published to prescribe the arms, flag, colors, and community day of the German-speaking area |
Important dates in Belgium in 2024
| Date | Important occasion |
| 6 January (Saturday) | Epiphany (Three Kings’ Day) |
| 31 March (Sunday) | Clocks go forward one hour as daylight saving time starts |
| 8 May (Wednesday) | Feast of the Iris – Feast Day of the Brussels-Capital Region |
| 12 May (Sunday) | Mother’s Day |
| 9 June (Sunday) | Father’s Day |
| 15 September (Sunday) | Feast Day of the Walloon Region |
| 27 October (Sunday) | Clocks go back one hour as daylight saving time ends |
| 2 November (Saturday) | All Souls’ Day – a Christian holiday, although public offices typically close |
| 15 November (Friday) | Dynasty Day, Feast of the Dynasty or King’s Feast – although not a public holiday, most government offices close |
| 6 December (Friday) | St Nicholas Day – when Sinterklaas/Saint Nicolas fills children’s shoes with presents |
Belgian public holidays in 2025
| Date | Holiday |
| 1 January (Monday) | New Year’s Day |
| 1 April (Monday) | Easter Monday |
| 1 May (Wednesday) | Labor Day |
| 9 May (Thursday) | Ascension Day (40 days after Easter) |
| 20 May (Monday) | Whit Monday – the seventh Monday after Easter, also known as Pentecost Monday |
| 21 July (Sunday) | Belgium National Day (Belgian Independence Day) – commemorates the day Leopold I took the constitutional oath as the first King of Belgium in 1831 |
| 15 August (Thursday) | Assumption Day (Assumption of Mary) |
| 1 November (Friday) | All Saints’ Day |
| 11 November (Monday) | Armistice Day |
| 25 December (Wednesday) | Christmas Day |
Regional Belgian public holidays in 2025
| Date | Regional holiday |
| 11 July (Friday) | Celebration of the Golden Spurs (Day of the Flemish Community) |
| 27 September (Saturday) | Day of the French-speaking Community |
| 15 November (Saturday) | Day of the German-speaking Community |
Important dates in Belgium in 2025
| Date | Important occasion |
| 6 January (Sunday) | Epiphany (Three Kings’ Day) |
| 30 March (Sunday) | Clocks go forward one hour as daylight saving time starts |
| 8 May (Sunday) | Feast of the Iris – Feast Day of the Brussels-Capital Region |
| 11 May (Sunday) | Mother’s Day |
| 8 June (Sunday) | Father’s Day |
| 21 September (Sunday) | Feast Day of the Walloon Region |
| 26 October (Sunday) | Clocks go back one hour as daylight saving time ends |
| 2 November (Sunday) | All Souls’ Day – public offices typically close on this day |
| 15 November (Saturday) | Dynasty Day, Feast of the Dynasty or King’s Feast – although not a public holiday, most government offices close |
| 6 December (Saturday) | St Nicholas Day (Sinterklaas) |
Belgian school holidays
If you want to know when your children have vacation, read more about school holidays in Belgium.
Looking for things to do with your little ones on their day off? Why not check out:
- Bellewaerde Park: Belgium’s oldest theme park near Ypres, with rides, attractions, and an animal park
- Domaine des Grottes De Han (Domain of the caves of Han): Located in Walloni, this safari park is great for spotting wild animals. For adventure-seekers, you can also take your child into the stunning naturally-formed Caves of Han.
- Walibi: Near Wavre, this theme park is full of exciting rides. Don’t forget to check out Aqualibi, too, the water park next door.
Festival holidays in Belgium
Belgium’s cities burst alive with colorful festivals throughout the year, celebrating everything from Belgian beer to witches. Some even practice traditions that are over hundreds of years old. All of this is alongside a good collection of film, music, and theatre festivals.
The weird and wonderful world of Belgian carnival
Carnival in Belgium is an important part of cultural heritage and happens every year during Lent, mostly in Wallonia. The most famous carnival is The Carnaval de Binche, not far from Charleroi. An official UNESCO cultural event, the occasion has been celebrated for over 100 years because of its significance.
There are strict rules for taking part: only men born in Binche can don the traditional Gilles costume. Their costumes are wonderfully outrageous and carry strange, secret symbols. The festivities last three days (the best day is Shrove Tuesday), culminating in a parade where boys throw blood oranges into the crowd as gifts.
While in nearby Stavelot, the Carnaval de la Laetare des Blancs-Moussis is renowned for its Lenten parade. Here, hundreds of locals clad in white monks’ robes and masks with long red noses make their way through the town. It’s tradition for them to throw confetti and swing at bystanders with inflated dried pig bladders.
In Geraardsbergen, Tonnekensbrand occurs on the first Sunday of Lent. To mark the occasion, the mayor, councillors, and aldermen are presented with a glass of wine, which has a small live fish inside. They drink a mouthful and swallow the fish before pretzels are handed out, iconic of Christian symbolism.
