Darklands is one of the largest leather and fetish festivals in Europe. The next Darklands is Tue 3 - Mon 9 Mar 2026 in Antwerp.
Darklands is a multi-day indoor fetish and leather festival. The main event location is at the old Antwerp docks, Waagnatie. Up to 5000 gay guys will dance and cruise all night in fetish wear at the main parties at night.
In the afternoon the festival location is open for entertainment, shopping, education at the indoor village. All major fetish brands have popup shops. There are workshops, shows and popup bars.
At night several XXL gay fetish parties take place. These parties are gay men only.
What are fetish parties like?
Leather and fetish parties like the ones at Darklands always have a changing room and lockers or coat check to store your bag. You don't need to surprise your Uber driver in a full rubber wetsuit.
The dance floor of a fetish party is basically not so different from any other gay dance party. The dance floor is just for dancing, maybe some kissing, but the (heavy)action takes place in the play rooms.
What about the leather wristbands?
At fetish parties a lot of guys wear leather and rubber wristbands. It's not just decoration but also a code for what you like. Maybe you have been wearing your wristband on the wrong side for too long!
See our article about wristbands and color codes for explanation.
