n this publication, All-Holidays.Info examines the following topic: holidays in Belgium 2024. We will tell you what Belgian holidays exist and how they differ. We give the exact dates of public holidays in Belgium in 2024. We will briefly describe the most interesting of them and tell you who has days off from work and when.
In Belgium there are public holidays, which are divided into two types: national and regional. National holidays are celebrated throughout the country; on these days, most Belgians do not work. Regional public holidays are celebrated only in certain regions. Some of the population in these regions have a day off from work.
In addition to public holidays, there are unofficial (traditional) ones. They are most often celebrated throughout the country, but these dates are ordinary weekdays. There are a number of local unofficial holidays or festivals. They are usually celebrated in individual cities. Mass events are held on these days, mostly on Saturday and Sunday. On such dates, Belgians do not have a day off work.
Holidays in Belgium 2024
This section lists holidays in Belgium 2024 in chronological order. We have indicated their exact dates, as well as the type of holiday. Some were provided with descriptions or brief information. If the celebration lasts several days, the start date is indicated.
January
January 1, 2024, Monday – New Year, national holiday.
January 6, 2024, Saturday – Three Kings / Epiphany, unofficial holiday.
February
Wednesday 14 February 2024 – Valentine’s Day, an unofficial holiday.
March
March 17, 2024, Sunday – Great Fire / Grand Feu de Bouge, unofficial local holiday (Namur).
March 24, 2024, Sunday – Ducasse de Messines, an unofficial local holiday (Mesnes).
29 March 2024, Friday – Good Friday, bank holiday.
Sunday 31 March 2024 – Easter Sunday, national holiday.
Grand Feu de Bouge is an ancient fire carnival held on the outskirts of the city of Namur (Bouge), Belgium. This medieval festival centers around the burning of a large effigy of willow called Le Saule to welcome spring.
The celebration begins with a costume parade with torches, whose participants dance in the streets of Buj. They follow a platform with a phoenix on it. The procession heads to a fire pit on the banks of the Meuse River. There, the townspeople are waiting for the 20-meter tall “willow man” to be set on fire.
April
Monday 1 April 2024 – Easter Monday, national holiday.
April 7, 2024, Sunday – Veterans Day, an unofficial holiday.
May
Wednesday 1 May 2024 – Labor Day/May Day, national holiday.
Wednesday 8 May 2024 – Iris Day, regional public holiday (Brussels).
May 9, 2024, Thursday – Ascension, national holiday.
May 10, 2024, Friday – Day after Ascension, bank holiday.
Sunday, May 12, 2024 – Mother’s Day, an unofficial holiday.
May 19, 2024, Sunday – Trinity, national holiday.
May 20, 2024, Monday – Spiritual Monday, national holiday.
Sunday 26 May 2024 – Ducasse de Mons / Doudou, unofficial local holiday (Mons).
Ducasse de Mons, or Doudou, is a popular annual Belgian festival. Previously, it was held in the Belgian city of Mons every Trinity Sunday. From 2023 it was postponed by a week. The festival honors the patron saints of Mons. The celebration begins in the morning with a procession carrying the relics of saints from the main church of the city. The culmination of the parade is the Battle of Lumeson, where St. George confronts the dragon.
June
Sunday June 9, 2024 – Father’s Day, an unofficial holiday.
July
Thursday 11 July 2024 – Flemish Community Day, regional public holiday (Antwerp, East Flanders, Flemish Brabant, Limburg, West Flanders).
Sunday 21 July 2024 is Belgium’s National Day, a national holiday.
Sunday 21 July 2024 – Marmouset Festival, an unofficial local holiday (Comines-Warneton).
On Flemish Community Day, most public and publicly funded institutions are closed. Banks and bank branches have the right not to work on this holiday.
August
Friday 9 August 2024 – Meyboom, unofficial local holiday (Brussels).
August 15, 2024, Thursday – Assumption of the Virgin Mary, national holiday.
August 15, 2024, Thursday – International Bath Regatta in Dinan, an unofficial local holiday (Dinan).
August 25, 2024, Sunday – Ducasse d’Ath, unofficial local holiday (city of Ath).
Ducasse d’Ath is a grand festival held in the city of Ath, Belgium. It dates back to the 16th century. In the morning there is a Parade of Giants featuring huge puppet figures representing biblical and folk characters. This is followed by the cortege, a colorful parade of costumed townspeople, guild members and clergy escorting a bejeweled statue of Mary through the streets. The celebrations continue with a re-enactment of the Triumph of Good over Evil, including symbolic battles between different groups of characters.
September
Sunday 15 September 2024 – Walloon Day, regional public holiday (Namur).
Friday 27 September 2024 – French Community Day, regional public holiday (Hainaut, Liege, Luxembourg, Namur, Walloon Brabant).
On French Community Day, most government and government-funded institutions are closed. Banks and their branches have the right to a non-working day on this holiday.
October
Monday 21 October 2024 – Gin Festival, an unofficial local holiday (Hasselt).
October 31, 2024, Thursday – Halloween, an unofficial holiday.
The Gin Festival is held annually in Hasselt, Belgium, to celebrate the country’s signature spirit, jenever (juniper-flavored gin). For three days, the city center turns into a lively fair with music, entertainment and genever tastings. A highlight is Geneva’s breakfast in the morning in the city’s main square.
November
November 1, 2024, Friday – All Saints’ Day, a national holiday.
November 2, 2024, Saturday – All Souls’ Day, an unofficial holiday.
November 11, 2024, Monday – Armistice Day, a national holiday.
November 15, 2024, Friday – Day of the German-speaking Community, regional public holiday (Liège, some municipalities).
November 15, 2024, Friday – King’s Day, an unofficial holiday with a partial non-working day.
On German-Speaking Community Day, most public and publicly funded institutions are closed. Bank branches and banks have the right not to work on this holiday.
King’s Day (Koningsdag) is held annually to commemorate the inauguration of King Albert II. Celebrations take place throughout Belgium, with Brussels hosting a military parade known as the Te Deum. It goes through the streets to the church of Saint-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg, where the Te Deum mass is celebrated. It is attended by members of the royal family and senior political figures.
King’s Day is celebrated throughout the country. All federal, provincial, regional and local administrations are closed on this holiday. Many public schools are also closed.
December
December 6, 2024, Friday – St. Nicholas Day, an unofficial holiday.
December 24, 2024, Tuesday – Christmas Eve, an unofficial holiday.
Wednesday 25 December 2024 – Christmas Day, national holiday.
Thursday 26 December 2024 – Boxing Day, bank holiday.
December 31, 2024, Tuesday – New Year’s Eve, an unofficial holiday.
In this article we talked about holidays in Belgium 2024. We hope you found the information you were interested in. You can find out more about holidays and school holidays around the world at All-Holidays.Info. Don’t forget to share this post with your friends!
