Tooghedagen 2026

Four days of shopping, experiences, and fun in the heart of Ypres

From September 11 through 14, 2026, Ypres will once again come alive during the annual Tooghedagen. For years, this traditional shopping weekend has marked the festive start of fall, bringing together visitors, shopkeepers, and neighborhood committees for a weekend full of atmosphere, socializing, and new experiences.

Anyone strolling through Ypres’s downtown on Saturday, September 12, and Sunday, September 13, will not only discover the latest fall collections at the many local shops but also enjoy surprising entertainment, lively street activities, and culinary stops. The Tooghedagen have grown into much more than just a shopping weekend: it’s a time when the entire city comes alive.

Every street has its own character

During the Tooghe Days, the various shopping streets once again take on their own unique identity. Street committees organize a varied program featuring music, entertainment, tastings, and original activities.

• Boomgaardstraat – Kultura Filipino: Filipino Street Food Market with side events (Sunday, September 13)
• Boterstraat – “Peep Holes” and mini-golf
• Diksmuidestraat – “Chocolate Festival”
• Grote Markt – Ypres Auto Show
• Menenstraat
• Rijselstraat – Art in the Spotlight: Galleries & the Merghelynck Museum
• Stationsstraat – “Little Cars”: Stationsstraat becomes one big train route. Collect stamps on your train ticket and have a chance to win a great prize.
• Tempelstraat
• Vandenpeereboomplein – “Bouncy Castle Village”

In the shopping streets, the mobile acts Majoretteketet and Vooruit met de Kuit add to the festive atmosphere. In between, you can relax and enjoy yourself at one of the many outdoor patios or in the restaurants and bars that dot Ypres’s city center.

Open-Air Shopping

During the Tooghedagen, shopkeepers once again take their products and new collections out onto the streets. This creates a cozy open-air shopping experience where visitors can explore, try things on, and find inspiration at their leisure.

Participating stores can be found on Boterstraat, Boomgaardstraat, Diksmuidestraat, Menenstraat, Rijselstraat, Stationsstraat, and Tempelstraat, as well as on the Grote Markt, the Neermarkt, and the Vandenpeereboomplein.

On Saturday, activities begin at 9 a.m.; on Sunday, at 12 p.m.

Easy to reach

Visitors can easily park on the Esplanade, Colaertplein, Stationsplein, De Kolve, Oudstrijderslaan, at the municipal sports center, or at one of the outlying parking lots at Rijselsepoort, Tulpenlaan, Minneplein, and Leopold III-laan.

Additional parking spaces are provided for people with disabilities at the green parking lot on Sint-Maartensplein.

The Tooghedagen are organized by vzw City, in collaboration with the City of Ypres and local merchants.