Football joins the festival: Pairi Daiza adds a twentieth stage for Belgium v Spain

For one evening, the spirit of Les Estivales will meet the passion of Belgian football, as Pairi Daiza invites visitors to cheer on the Red Devils together in our Dôme events hall.

Those who’d rather travel round the world at the same time can still access the Park and the varied festivalprogramme across 19 stages until 11 pm.

Around 70 artists per evening, nearly 90 performances, music, circus, dance, street art, theatre, folklore and wonder from the four cornersof the globe — spread across the gardens and worlds of Pairi Daiza, as the sun sets.

Since 2016, Pairi Daiza’s Estivales have grown into one of the country’s most extraordinary summer evenings: a sort of cultural tapas trail where visitors stroll from stage to stage, discovering something unexpected time and time again. The programme is deliberately eclectic and multidisciplinary, featuring short performances at various locations throughout the Park, so that every visitor can create their own itinerary to experience the festival’s tenth anniversary.

This year, 65 per cent of the programme has been revamped. New additions include cosplay at The Islands of The Rising Sun and sultry, mellow DJ sets at the large central playground. On 10 and 11 July, Estivales will also have an extra Flemish flavour, whilst a special Belgian edition will take place on 20 and 21 July.

What makes Estivales particularly unique is its setting. The intimate ​ stages are erected throughout the gardens to ensure a harmonious atmosphere. The sound levels are deliberately kept low so that visitors can enjoy the performances whilst respecting the welfare of the animals housed at Pairi Daiza. This also ensures that resort guests retain the peace and luxury that are part and parcel of their stay.

A summer festival for all generations

And perhaps that is what is so surprising today: whilst festival prices often soar, here visitors get not only access to a summer festival evening but also to Pairi Daiza itself for €53. With a Membership Card costing €132, visitors can also return as often as they like throughout the festival summer and for the 365 days following the date of activation.

The Estivales are therefore not a festival for a single niche audience, but a summer evening for all generations: children, parents, grandparents, couples, groups of friends and curious explorers.

Those who want to see everything don’t need to bring a tent. Thanks to the opening of Edenya ,the Pairi Daiza Resort now offers 209 accommodation options, meaning visitors can, exceptionally, extend their festival evening with an overnight stay in the Park.

Flemish artists take the stage

Four Flemish artists will be performing on 10 and 11 July for the very first time in this unique setting, with a fresh approach and in this distinctive environment: Robin De la Rue, WOUT, Fairy in Boots and Radio 2 DJ Bjorn Verhoeven. The Swinging Dixie Colby’s Band from Geraardsbergen will be welcoming visitors from 18:00 at the Park entrance for the third year running.

Robin first showcased her talent by uploading covers to SoundCloud and YouTube. In early 2014, she caught the eye of the Belgian radio station MNM. She was invited to sing a few songs live on the radio, accompanying herself on the piano. Robin took part in the television singing competition ‘The Voice of Flanders’ in 2016 and 2019, and in ‘Lift Me Up’ in 2025. She is also a professional vocal coach at her own Studio 84 Antwerp.

Robin De la Rue explains how she is preparing for her concerts on 10 and 11 July: “I’ve put together five 25-minute mini-concerts from a playlist of 80 songs. Each mini-concert will have its own opening song, an emotional build-up and a rousing finale. My aim is to bring together audiences from different backgrounds and generations with a wide-ranging repertoire of Dutch-language, French-language and international pop music. The programme includes Flemish songs such as ‘Atlas’ by Pommelien Thijs – to whom The New York Times recently dedicated an article – and ‘Liefde Gegeven’ by the Dutch duo Suzan & Freek. Classics ranging from ABBA and Queen to recent work by Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan and Olivia Dean. French tracks such as ‘Sensualité’ by Axelle Red and ‘Je veux’ by Zaz.”

Radio 2 presenter Bjorn Verhoeven will be the first ‘DJ’ or ‘selector’ to spin summery, sultry, mellow rhythms and grooves at a volume respectfully adjusted to the surroundings on the new, nineteenth stage at Les Estivales. The audience will enjoy the music with their feet in the sand at Cambron-by-the-Sea and the playground in the shade of our lighthouse. He will be the very first DJ at this unique summer festival. He’s already looking forward to it: “It’s obviously something completely different from a 90s party in an industrial building in Roeselare or at the Trixxo Arena in Hasselt, but that’s exactly why I’m really looking forward to it. This is the ideal place to let my hair down, play the right tropical tunes and enjoy that unique atmosphere together with everyone.”

WOUT, the stage name of Wout Van Hemelryck, will be performing at the abbey mill, where storks look down on his stage: “As a child, I dreamt of being able to sing at special venues. Together with pianist Koen Van Hemelrijck, who, like me, is from Malderen, I’ll be performing a varied repertoire featuring Flemish classics and sing-alongs as well as well-known English-language songs. I’m really looking forward to working together to treat the visitors to Pairi Daiza to a wonderful musical experience and, in doing so, to create memories that will linger for a long time to come.”

Fairy in Boots presents *Sirenade/Meerminnerij*, an immersive street theatre production for the whole family in which classical music and improvisational theatre blend to create an enchanting experience. As active participants, the audience are swept up in the story of one of the best-known fairy-tale characters: the mermaid.

Two mini-versions will be performed during the Estivales. On 10 July, Liza Dedapper will play the fairy-tale mermaid, whilst on 11 July, Sieglinde Heymans will portray the mythological siren. Both have their own ways of enchanting every visitor.

Liza Dedapper is a Belgian soprano who is one of the few artists to combine classical singing with acrobatics, a discipline she herself calls ‘acrosinger’. She is the founder of Fairy In Boots, a ‘creative brand’ that brings together music and acrobatics, always with an eye for visual presentation.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

• From 10 July to 16 August 2026; dates and times at www.pairidaiza.eu

• Two special Belgian evenings: 20 and 21 July

• 19 stages spread throughout the Park, with performances from 6 pm

• Pairi Daiza will remain open until 11.00 pm during these evening events

If you’d like to attend the first or second weekend yourself to cover the event, you’re welcome to bring up to three additional people. Please let me know as soon as possible!

Johan Vreys

Spokesperson, PAIRI DAIZA

• johan.vreys@pairidaiza.eu
• +32(0)68 85 80 80
• +32(0)474 63 66 41

• www.pairidaiza.eu