Belgian National Day 2027

When

21 July 2027

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Where

Belgium

BelgiumBelgium

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About the event

Why Belgium celebrates 21 July On 21 July 1831, Leopold of Saxe-Coburg took the oath as the first King of the Belgians in Brussels, formally establishing the independent Belgian state.

The royal family attends the parade on the Boulevard du Régent — the central annual ceremony of the Belgian state.

Why this day

On 21 July 1831, Leopold of Saxe-Coburg took the oath as the first King of the Belgians in Brussels, formally establishing the independent Belgian state. The date marks the culmination of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, in which a popular uprising — sparked partly by an opera performance — led to separation from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The revolution had its roots in economic and cultural tensions between the Catholic, predominantly French-speaking south and the Protestant, Dutch-speaking north. Belgium had been united with the Netherlands at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, but the arrangement proved unstable. When fighting broke out in Brussels in August 1830, it quickly spread and the Dutch army withdrew.

Belgian National Day is celebrated with a military parade on the Boulevard du Régent in Brussels, attended by the royal family. The evening brings fireworks at the Atomium and free open-air concerts across the country. The day is one of the few occasions that unites Dutch-speakers, French-speakers and the German-speaking community in shared celebration.

Timeline
  • 1831Leopold I takes oath as first King of the Belgians
  • 1830Belgian Revolution — independence from the Netherlands
  • 1993Belgium becomes a federal state
Stay for the event

Check-in 20 Jul, check-out 22 Jul 2027 — 2 nights around 21 July 2027. Change the dates to stay longer.

AREA

Find stays in Brussels
Getting there
  • Celebratednationwide
  • CapitalBrussels
  • Time zoneCET (UTC+1)
Host country
  • Currency: euro
  • Language: German, French
  • Driving: on the right
  • Capital: Brussels
  • Phone: +32
  • Emergency: 112
  • Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz, plugs C/E
What to eat
Moules-frites

Steamed mussels in white wine and shallots served with a mountain of thin crispy fries — Belgium's national dish.

Belgian fries

Double-fried in beef fat and served in paper cones with sauce andalouse or mayonnaise — the original fries.

Carbonnade flamande

Rich beef stew slow-cooked in Belgian dark ale with thyme and bay leaves.

Waterzooi

Creamy chicken or fish stew from Ghent — vegetables simmered in broth with cream.

Belgian waffle

Two kinds: the Brussels waffle (rectangular, airy) and the Liège waffle (denser, pearl sugar embedded).

Speculoos

Spiced shortcrust biscuits flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger — eaten year-round.

What to drink
Belgian Trappist beer

Chimay, Rochefort, Westmalle — some of the world's greatest beers brewed by monks in Belgian abbeys.

Gueuze

Spontaneously fermented lambic beer from Brussels — tart, complex and unique to the Senne valley.

Belgian hot chocolate

Thick, dark drinking chocolate made from real couverture — served in Brussels cafés year-round.

Culture & traditions
Military parade

The royal family attends the parade on the Boulevard du Régent — the central annual ceremony of the Belgian state.

Belgian chocolate

Belgium produces some of the world's finest chocolate — pralines were invented here in 1912.

Comic strip art

Belgium is the birthplace of Tintin, the Smurfs and Lucky Luke — Brussels has a Comic Strip Route through the city.

Atomium

The landmark steel atom structure built for the 1958 World's Fair — lit up for fireworks on National Day.

Coming years

Belgian National Day 2028

  • Friday 21 July 2028Next event date

Belgian National Day 2029

  • Saturday 21 July 2029Event date

Belgian National Day 2030

  • Sunday 21 July 2030Event date