Pride highlights

The Pride Festival is on cruising speed. Here are our five must-see tips from the programme.

A force of nature

There are no limits to Pride. And that’s definitely true of Rubyyy Jones. The Canadian queer artist and stripper who is even bigger than plus-sized is performing a show and leading a burlesque workshop specifically for big and beautiful queers who want to feel comfortable in their own skin. Yum!

> Fatlesque: Rubyyy Jones. 16/5, 18.00, Centre Culturel Jacques Franck

Soldiers of love

On 17 May, the LGBT community is commemorating Ihsane Jarfi, who was murdered for being himself in 2012. Musicians, poets, and Ihsane’s father will pay tribute to the boy on Ihsani Jarfi Day. In the evening, there will be an auction at Bozar, and all the proceeds will be donated to the Jarfi Foundation, which promotes cultural dialogue.

> Ihsani Jarfi Day. 17/5, 17.00, Muntplein/place de La Monnaie

The biggest bounce

The Pride will either be diverse or it will be nothing at all. On the evening of the Pride Parade, the Beursschouwburg is scheduling Big Freedia, the “Queen of Bounce”. “People just wanna get out and shake their azzzz and have a good time,” the rapper from New Orleans says. Got it!

> Big Freedia.19/5, 22.00, Beursschouwburg

3 for one

It’s not Pride without a party. Like every year, there are plenty of places to get your groove on. At Club Zodiak, the men and women of Los Niños are bringing together DJs and sweaty contentment. DJ JD Samson, The Stress, and Chen Zen turn it out!

> Club Zodiak. 19/5, 23.00, Club Zodiak

Your local power

There’s no Pride without a parade. On 19 May, thousands of LGBTI+’s will festively take to the streets of Brussels to celebrate the queer community. The theme of the Belgian Pride is the local elections in October, so keep an eye out of the political floats.

> Pride Parade. 19/5, 14.30, city centre