Officially the Kingdom of Belgium, country of northwestern Europe. It is one of the smallest and most densely populated European countries. She is famous for its waffles, chocolate and beer. Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German. Help us
National traditions, public holidays and notable observances for 2024-2025 year
Friday 1 November - All Saints' Day a holy day of obligation (a national holiday in many historically Catholic countries. And its related observance: Day of the Innocents, The first day of Day of the Dead or El Dia de los Muertos celebration. - Mexico, Haiti)
Thursday 8 May - Iris Day in Belgium (The Festival of Irises a regional holiday and a weekend in the Brussels-capital region in honor of the flowering period of Iris pseudacorus, which is a symbol of the region. It is also Victory Day over the Nazis during World War II and the feast of the Archangel Saint-Michel, the patron saint of Brussels)
Monday 12 May - Mother’s Day (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bonaire, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Dem. Rep., Congo, Rep., Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Gabon, Gambia, Greenland, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Myanmar, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Singapore, Sint Maarten, Slovakia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay, Vietnam, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe); Cat Parade or Kattenstoet in Belgium (Held on the second Sunday in May)
Monday 14 July - French National Holiday in Liege, Belgium (In 1937, the townspeople decided to celebrate this holiday in protest against Belgium’s policy of neutrality regarding the Third Reich and against the denunciation of the French military agreement with the Belgian government)
Monday 21 July - National Day in Belgium (celebrates the inauguration of Léopold I, the first king of the Belgians, after its independence from the Netherlands on October 4, 1830)
Friday 15 August - Feast day of the Assumption of Mary (Christian feast day, one of the Catholic holy days of obligation a public holiday in Austria, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Italy, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Togo, and Vanuatu); Septennial Festival in Huy, Belgium (Les Septennales); Mother's Day in Antwerp and Costa Rica
The Royal family of Belgium is one of the wealthiest and respected royal families in the world and the state is a real festival country.
There are a wide variety of music festivals in Belgium, especially during the summer months, but the most famous perhaps is the world’s largest Electronic Music Festival, also known as Tomorrowland.
Ghent hosts the biggest cultural festival in Europe, the Gentse Feesten.
Belgium hosts the world’s largest sand sculpture festival.
Haspengouw is the largest fruit region in Western Europe and after South-Tirol the largest one in entire Europe. The largest agricultural, forestry and agri-food fair in Europe, the Foire de Libramont, is held in Belgium.
It is the country with most castles per square kilometer in the world.
Antwerp is the world’s diamond capital.
Despite its name, the origins of French Fries has actually been traced back to Belgium, which basically means that they should be called Belgian fries.
99,9% of Belgian highways and roads are lit up at night.
Belgium has been producing delicious chocolate for 400 years. Brussels International Airport is the world’s largest chocolate selling point.