Vredefeesten Sint-Niklaas
A free city festival on Belgium's largest market square featuring a hot-air balloon festival, concerts, a world market and funfair on the first weekend of September.
ⓘ Recurring event. The 2026 date is the usual window; confirm the exact date closer to the event.
Promote local and regional tourism, hospitality, and retail partnerships around a free, family-friendly festival weekend featuring unique attractions like hot-air balloons and world market vendors.
- Hot-air balloon festival photo ops and aerial experience content
- World market vendor spotlights and cultural food discovery
- Family day-trip planning guides for the first September weekend
- Local business partnerships and sponsorship opportunities
Vredefeesten (Peace Festivities) is the top event in Sint-Niklaas. Every year in the first weekend of September, numerous colourful hot-air balloons rise into the air—a renowned balloon happening and the only one in the world with an ascent area in a city centre. The 2026 edition runs from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 September, featuring music, balloons, experiences and encounters.
- Around 40 regular balloons and ten special shapes ascend into the sky
- Hooverphonic confirmed as first headliner on Saturday 5 September at Villa Pace
- Concerts, street animation, world market, Balloon Run, workshops on the Urbanplein, fairground and more
- Six stages with different music styles, world market with cuisines from around the world, spectacular fireworks display and nostalgic fairground
- All concerts are completely free with no reservation required
- Special meet-and-greet workshops for kids on Friday 4 September to discover hot-air balloons, led by reporter Jelle Mels