Antwerp Pride is expected to attract more than 100,000 people on Saturday, but organisers say the event’s future remains financially precarious and could be at risk if bad weather hits.
What began as a protest march has grown into one of the biggest events in Antwerp province. Yet while attendance has risen, subsidies have fallen and costs have continued to increase for the non-profit organisation behind the event.
“This is a cry for help,” said chair Geert Van Praet. He warned that if rain were to severely affect the festival, the organisation might not cover its costs and there could be no parade next year.
Van Praet said Antwerp Pride is highly vulnerable to the weather because all of its festival sites are outdoors. The main income comes from ticket sales and spending on food and drink at the festival grounds.
Public funding currently comes from several sources. Flemish equal opportunities minister Caroline Gennez provides €25,000 a year, the City of Antwerp contributes €30,000, federal minister Rob Beenders gives €5,000, and the National Lottery adds €25,000.
Despite that support, the rental cost of the festival sites alone is around €400,000. In total, the non-profit needs almost €1 million to run the event, although its income also fluctuates around that level.
One-off donations bring in about €50,000, according to Van Praet. Merchandise sales add only around €5,000, leaving the organisation heavily dependent on festival revenue.
Van Praet said one of his biggest concerns is preserving the safe space created within the enclosed festival area. Without it, he warned, visitors would be more spread out across the city and could face a greater risk of violence.
He argued that funding is needed not only to stage the event, but also to guarantee that protected environment. He also rejected criticism of what some have described as Antwerp Pride’s “overly commercial” approach.
Research by financial daily De Tijd shows the non-profit’s spending has risen sharply, from €330,000 in 2022 to more than €924,000 in 2026. With estimated income of nearly €1 million, the organisation is operating only slightly above break-even.
Van Praet added that the group’s treasurer sometimes has to advance major costs from his own pocket. He said corporate sponsorship exists, but still falls short of what is needed.
The organisation’s aim, he said, is to retain a small surplus each year to build a financial buffer for a rain-affected edition. He also pointed to the collapse of Brussels Pride a few years ago and said it was frustrating that sporting events often receive more public support, despite Pride also drawing large crowds.
“For us, this is not just a party,” Van Praet said. “It remains a protest.”
