Antwerp Pride 2023 #Braveolution
Antwerp Pride is back this week for their 16th edition with a full program! We proudly present to you their program of Antwerp Pride!
Theme 2023: Braveolution!
This year they are calling for a Braveolution! They are turning Antwerp and its surroundings into a Brave Space. You can read what this means here, but do also check out their extensive Beyond Antwerp Pride programme during Pride Week!
Join Antwerp Pride!
Antwerp Pride only exists thanks to the support and commitment of hundreds of volunteers! And this year too, they are still looking for people who want to contribute to Antwerp Pride. Are you interested in spending some time with us and helping us out? Then sign up via this tool and choose how much and when you want to volunteer!
Happy pride and here are some suggestions to have a great Pride in Antwerp;
09/08 Opening Night
On wednesday august 9th we’re organising a fabulous opening-night in the beautiful luscious open-air theatre, the OLT Rivierenhof. With a wide variety of up-and-coming and established artists we start the next edition of Antwerp Pride off with a bang! Be there or be square!
09/08 Beyond Antwerp Pride… discusses
Safe, safer, brave… What exactly is the difference between a safe, a safe(r) and a brave space? What’s the added value of the spaces? What implications do they have on our community? What can society as a whole learn from our community? Can our city be transformed into a brave space and how is this practically accomplished? This year’s Antwerp Pride theme, ‘Braveolution’, raises some thought-provoking questions. In this debate they delve deeper on the topic of safe(r) and brave spaces.
Beyond Antwerp Pride
Beyond Antwerp Pride is the spiritual reincarnation of the Human Right Friday from past editions. Beyond Antwerp Pride looks “beyond” the solely celebratory aspect of the pride and invites you think, listen, discuss and work towards a more inclusive world. Join them as they undogmatically explore our theme ‘Braveolution’, this year with even more possibilities for intellectual enrichment with multiple days of interesting discussions, thought-provoking opinions, inspiring opinions and creative activism.
10/08 Beyond Antwerp Pride… educates
Workshop How to Brave Space How do we create an environment which functions as a brave space? Whether it is at work, at school, at your local community or even at home. In this worshop we faciltate you in with the tools and knowledge to create a space where everyone feels safe, comfortable and empowered. After the workshop you can immediately, if desired, join the festivities at the Midsummer Party organised by café Den Draak.
11/08 Beyond Antwerp Pride… empowers
Dealing with the contra-movement. The regressive movement against the rights, which we have so painstakingly fought for the past decades, is picking up momentum in the past few years. Who are the instigators of this contra-movement? Where do they come from? How do they operate? How must we deal with people who glorify xenophobia? In this interactive workshop we unpack this regression and inform you on how to deal effectively with this contra-movement.
12/08 Antwerp Pride Parade
Time to sashay and parade again through the city in a positive and festive atmosphere! Pride is protest and what better way to protest than to show who we are and what we stand for in all our lovely colours. We ask all participants to come together at the Sint-Jansplein in Antwerp North. From 12.00 o’clock we will release positive love vibes on the square. Then we march as a group to the Paardenmarkt where the trucks will be ready and the Parade will be set up.
The Parade starts at 2 pm and immediately dives into the Hessenbrug to wave to the Hessenhuis Cafe?. A little further the parade turns left on Oude Leeuwenrui and Brouwersvliet in the direction of the river Scheldt. The route then goes along the river and at the Sint-Jans- vliet where we will take a turn into the Kloosterstraat, past the statue of Peter the Great – under whose reign Russia was still tolerant towards homosexuality – into the Scheldestraat and then towards the site of the Love United Festival on the Ledeganckkaai where the party can explode.
If you come to watch the parade, there are good views everywhere along the route, so please spread out along the route to cheer on your favorite floats.
12/08 Pride – women – in town
They once again invite everyone to join them at the cozy Sint-Andriesplaats for a special Pride – Women – in Town experience. This year we unite all women and their allies together in a safe space to protest and celebrate their identity in all its glory. From 6 pm onwards, you can enjoy literary and musical performances, spoken word and DJ sets, hosted by Nathalie Delporte and Manny Willie.
Why is Pride in Town celebrating women this year? Lesbian, bisexual, queer and trans women are committed to creating a better world. Women champion protection and care networks, fight for justice for female victims of violence and expose their invisibility. Efforts that often go unseen, but are necessary in their pursuit of a world free of racism, violence, oppression, abuse, exploitation and control over women and their bodies.
12/08 Love United Festival
The main festival grounds this year will be again at the recently developed Cockerillkaai in the south of Antwerp alongside the river. This will be the official and central party hub of Antwerp Pride for the Love United Festival on Saturday and the Closing Festival on Sunday. And do we have a party planned on Saturday? In Antwerp we say: Amai nog nie! [translation: abso-freaking-lutely] Two stages will invite you to show your best moves and to party on until midnight. You are welcome from 15:00 and best of all: the entrance is totally free!
12-13/08 Antwerp Pride Village
Visit the brand new Pride Village, the heart of Antwerp Pride 2023, on Saturday 12 August or Sunday 13 August. Find out more about their partner organizations in one of the many information stalls and enjoy the summer beats. The Pride Village on the renovated Cockerillkaai is a meeting place for like-minded people from within and outside the LGBTQIA+ community. Admission is free and everyone is welcome to explore our rainbow community and make new friends.
13/08 Beyond Antwerp Pride… protests
Take my hand From a poll by VTM (flemish news-agency) held last year, it became clear that over 1/4th of Flemish people find it unacceptable if people with the same gender-identity walk hand-in-hand. Antwerp Pride find it high time we leave this antiquated notion in the past. Walking hand in hand with someone of the same gender identity needs to happen without disapproving glances or worse. Therefore they call on all people in Antwerp regardless of your gender- and sexual-identity to take a stand!
On Sunday August 13th they ask you all to walk the streets hand-in-hand with someone of the same gender-identity or with someone who doesn’t dress gender conforming. Do you for example have a partner, but normally don’t dare to walk hand-in-hand, this is your day! But also as a straight man, dare to walk hand-in-hand with your best straight friend, a drag queen or someone of the LGBTQIA+ community who identifies as a man. Talk about REAL heterosexual masculine energy!
Or do you walk as a single woman always hand-in-hand with your bestie, then go all out! In short, if everyone walks hand-in-hand, then we turn the whole city into a brave space and show the world this is nothing unusual, when or wherever this may happen. Because walking is always better with someone at your side!
14/08 Closing Festival
Sunday it’s time to say goodbye to Antwerp Pride and to all the friends you have made along the way. But not without one last party, are you still up for it because they have some special treats in store for you. And yes: after his triumph at Eurovision he will come to our stage: Gustaph! It will be an afternoon of singing, dancing and vibing to some great songs and also some guilty pleasures. You are welcome from 14:00 and the party continues until 23:00 after which they say a fond farewell to this year’s edition of Antwerp Pride. Best part? Entrance is totally free!
FOR MORE INFORMATION CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE: www.antwerppride.com
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