Holidays in Belgium 2023, 2024, 2025 (public and unofficial)

What will be the unofficial and public holidays in Belgium 2023, 2024 and 2025? How are they different and what are they related to? In this publication, ALYO.Info will name the exact holidays in Belgium in 2023, 2024 and 2025. We will also briefly describe the most interesting of them. For convenience, we have published an interactive calendar of Belgian public holidays.

What holidays do Belgians celebrate?

All holidays in Belgium can be divided into three types:

1. State national holidays.
2. Local public holidays.
3. Unofficial holidays.

The Kingdom of Belgium has 10 public national holidays, which are celebrated throughout the country. Each of them is an official non-working day. In some cases, employees may (or must) work on public holidays. For example, this applies to doctors, police, service workers, etc.

In addition to general public holidays, there are local ones. Three of them are tied to language communities and observed only in their territory (as well as school holidays in Belgian schools). The fourth is celebrated only in the Walloon region.

Unofficial holidays are not legally fixed. Some of them are religious, others are traditional or secular. The state government, city halls and local administrations can hold events dedicated to such dates (parades, solemn processions, concerts, etc.).

FAQ

Will an employee get a day off if a public holiday falls on a non-working day?

If a public holiday falls on a non-working day, the employee is entitled to additional time off. Officially, the dates of such days should be determined by the Joint Branch Committees. In practice, each company sets them individually.

How are holidays paid?

If an employee goes to work on a public holiday, he is entitled to additional time off. It must be provided no later than 6 weeks after the holiday. If an employee has worked more than four hours, he receives a full day off for the whole day. If he has worked less than four hours, he will have only half a day to rest.

How many working days in Belgium in 2023?

In 2023, residents of Belgium will have 252 working days. We give the number of working days by month:

• January – 22.
• February – 20.
• March – 22.
• April – 19.
• May – 19.
• June – 21.
• July – 22.
• August – 22.
• September – 20.
• October – 23.
• November – 21.
• December – 20.

How many working days in Belgium in 2024?

In 2023, Belgians and those working in the country will have 253 working days. We give the number of working days by month:

• January – 22.
• February – 21.
• March – 20.
• April – 21.
• May – 18.
• June – 21.
• July – 23.
• August – 20.
• September – 22.
• October – 23.
• November – 18.
• December – 22.

Holidays in Belgium 2023

Below we have listed all state, local state and major unofficial holidays in Belgium in 2023. For convenience, they are arranged in chronological order by month.

January

• January 1 (Sunday) 2023 – New Year, public holiday.
• January 6 (Friday) 2023 – Epiphany.

February

• February 14 (Tuesday) 2023 – Valentine’s Day.

April

• April 7 (Friday) 2023 – Veterans Day.
• April 9 (Sunday) 2023 – Easter.
• April 10 (Monday) 2023 – Easter Monday, public holiday.

May

• May 1 (Monday) 2023 – Labor Day, public holiday.
• May 8 (Monday) 2023 – Iris Festival (Brussels).
• May 14 (Sunday) 2023 – Mother’s Day.
• May 18 (Thursday) 2023 – Ascension of Christ, public holiday.
• May 28 (Sunday) 2023 – Pentecost.
• May 29 (Monday) 2023 – Trinity, public holiday.

June

• June 11 (Sunday) 2023 – Father’s Day.
• June 28 (Wednesday) 2023 – Ommegang, beginning (Brussels).

Ommegang is an annual festival dedicated to the entry of Charles V into Brussels in 1549. It takes place in late June – early July. Since 1930, on Wednesday and Friday, a historical reconstruction of the events of 1549 has been held. The parade starts at the Coudenberg Palace and passes through the streets of Brussels, ending at the Grand Place. See how it was held in 2023:

July

• July 1 (Saturday) 2023 – Ommegang, ending (Brussels).
• July 11 (Tuesday) 2023 – Flemish Community Day (Flemish Community).
• July 21 (Friday) 2023 – Belgian National Day, public holiday.

August

• August 9 (Wednesday) 2023 – Meyboom.
• August 15 (Tuesday) 2023 – Assumption of the Virgin Mary, public holiday.

Meyboom is an annual celebration and festival held in Brussels. According to legend, in 1213 the guild “Comrades of Saint Laurent” helped repel the attack of the Luvanists (residents of the city of Leuven). In honor of this, the Duke of Brabant gave the guild the right to annually erect a tree at the crossroads of Rue Sable and Marais.

For unknown reasons, this right was exercised only in 1308. Therefore, some believe that the installation of the tree is associated with the anniversary of the marriage of Duke Henri Hier and Marie de France. Now residents of the city install it annually. The process is accompanied by a festive procession, a parade of large dolls and entertainment events.

September

• September 17 (Sunday) 2023 – Walloon Region Day (Walloon Region).
• September 27 (Wednesday) 2023 – Feast of the French Community (French Community).

October

• October 2 (Monday) 2023 – Day of the Dead.
• October 15 (Sunday) 2023 – King’s Day.
• October 31 (Tuesday) 2023 – Halloween.

The King’s Day has been celebrated since 1866 on Saint Leopold’s Day according to the German liturgical calendar. Until 2000, the service “Te Deum” was held on this day in the Cathedral of Saint-Michel-et-Gudul. After 2000, in addition to it, a secular ceremony is held at the Palais des Nations in Brussels.

November

• November 1 (Wednesday) 2023 – All Saints Day, public holiday.
• November 11 (Saturday) 2023 – Armistice Day, public holiday.
• November 15 (Wednesday) 2023 – Day of the German-speaking community (German-speaking community).

December

• December 6 (Wednesday) 2023 – St. Nicholas Day.
• December 24 (Sunday) 2023 – Christmas Eve.
• December 25 (Monday) 2023 – Christmas, public holiday.
• December 26 (Tuesday) 2023 – The second day of Christmas.
• December 31 (Sunday) 2023 – New Year’s Eve.

Holiday calendar in Belgium

Holidays in Belgium 2024

Important! At the time of writing, no dates have been set for the Ommegang Festival in 2024. We will follow this issue and as soon as fresh information appears, we will publish it.

• January 1 (Monday) 2024 – New Year, public holiday.
• January 6 (Saturday) 2024 – Epiphany.
• February 14 (Wednesday) 2024 – Valentine’s Day.
• March 31 (Sunday) 2024 – Easter.
• April 1 (Monday) 2024 – Easter Monday, public holiday.
• April 7 (Sunday) 2024 – Veterans Day.
• May 1 (Wednesday) 2024 – Labor Day, public holiday.
• May 8 (Wednesday) 2024 – Iris Festival (Brussels).
• May 9 (Thursday) 2024 – Ascension of Christ, public holiday.
• May 14 (Tuesday) 2024 – Mother’s Day.
• May 19 (Sunday) 2024 – Pentecost.
• May 20 (Monday) 2024 – Trinity, public holiday.
• June 11 (Tuesday) 2024 – Father’s Day.
• July 11 (Thursday) 2024 – Flemish Community Day (Flemish Community).
• July 21 (Sunday) 2024 – Belgian National Day, public holiday.
• August 15 (Thursday) 2024 – Assumption of the Virgin Mary, public holiday.
• September 15 (Sunday) 2024 – Walloon Region Day (Walloon Region).
• September 27 (Friday) 2024 – Feast of the French Community (French Community).
• October 2 (Wednesday) 2024 – Day of the Dead.
• October 15 (Tuesday) 2024 – King’s Day.
• October 31 (Thursday) 2024 – Halloween.
• November 1 (Friday) 2024 – All Saints Day, public holiday.
• November 11 (Monday) 2024 – Armistice Day, public holiday.
• November 15 (Friday) 2024 – Day of the German-speaking community (German-speaking community).
• December 6 (Friday) 2024 – St. Nicholas Day.
• December 24 (Tuesday) 2024 – Christmas Eve.
• December 25 (Wednesday) 2024 – Christmas, public holiday.
• December 26 (Thursday) 2024 – The second day of Christmas.
• December 31 (Tuesday) 2024 – New Year’s Eve.

Holidays in Belgium 2025

Important! At the time of writing, the dates for the Ommegang festival in 2025 have not been determined. We will monitor the situation and as soon as there is fresh information, we will publish it.

• January 1 (Wednesday) 2025 – New Year, public holiday.
• January 6 (Monday) 2025 – Epiphany.
• February 14 (Friday) 2025 – Valentine’s Day.
• April 7 (Monday) 2025 – Veterans Day.
• April 20 (Sunday) 2025 – Easter.
• April 21 (Monday) 2025 – Easter Monday, public holiday.
• May 1 (Thursday) 2025 – Labor Day, public holiday.
• May 8 (Thursday) 2025 – Iris Festival (Brussels).
• May 14 (Wednesday) 2025 – Mother’s Day.
• May 29 (Thursday) 2025 – Ascension of Christ, public holiday.
• June 8 (Sunday) 2025 – Pentecost.
• June 9 (Monday) 2025 – Trinity, public holiday.
• June 11 (Wednesday) 2025 – Father’s Day.
• July 11 (Friday) 2025 – Flemish Community Day (Flemish Community).
• July 21 (Monday) 2025 – Belgian National Day, public holiday.
• August 15 (Friday) 2025 – Assumption of the Virgin Mary, public holiday.
• September 21 (Sunday) 2025 – Walloon Region Day (Walloon Region).
• September 27 (Saturday) 2025 – Feast of the French Community (French Community).
• October 2 (Thursday) 2025 – Day of the Dead.
• October 15 (Wednesday) 2025 – King’s Day.
• October 31 (Friday) 2025 – Halloween.
• November 1 (Saturday) 2025 – All Saints Day, public holiday.
• November 11 (Tuesday) 2025 – Armistice Day, public holiday.
• November 15 (Saturday) 2025 – Day of the German-speaking community (German-speaking community).
• December 6 (Saturday) 2025 – St. Nicholas Day.
• December 24 (Wednesday) 2025 – Christmas Eve.
• December 25 (Thursday) 2025 – Christmas, public holiday.
• December 26 (Friday) 2025 – The second day of Christmas.
• December 31 (Wednesday) 2025 – New Year’s Eve.

In this article, ALYO.Info talked about the holidays in Belgium in 2023, 2024 and 2025. We have given the exact dates of state, local and unofficial holidays. Be sure to share this post with your friends!