Tienen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Suikerrock’s 38th edition in Tienen drew huge crowds. Emma Bale opened, Nelly Furtado headlined, and The Cube debuted as a stage. Police reported only 1 arrest despite thousands attending.
As VRT News reported, the 38th edition of Suikerrock began in Tienen with a busy first day on July 31, 2025. Emma Bale opened the festival on the main stage. She told the audience,
“I’m grateful to be here and do my thing,”
as she performed her songs.
In the crowd were 4 friends from Genk, Els, Dina, Elien and Julie, who made the trip to see her live.
“It’s the first time we’re coming to Suikerrock,”
they said.
“With such a great lineup, we just had to come. Our first impression? It looks like a great place.”
What makes Suikerrock’s 38th edition in Tienen stand out?
According to officials, this year, Suikerrock added something new with The Cube turned into a real stage for the first time. Singer Birthe was the first to perform there and laughed off a small mishap, saying she broke her heel, but it was worth it. The new stage gives room for new acts and special shows, adding more variety to the festival. The crowd liked the fresh setup and the new ideas.
“She brought a lot of young, female energy to Suikerrock,”
Chelsea and Jona said.
Suikerrock’s 2nd day drew large crowds as performances ran late into the night. Officials mentioned that Olly Alexander, Dizzee Rascal and Glints kept the energy high, while many visitors gathered mainly for Nelly Furtado and Pommelien Thijs. People travelled from across the country, some waiting well before the gates opened to stand near the stage.
Julie Hughebaert from the Getevallei police zone said there was only 1 problem when a drunk man became aggressive and was taken to jail for the night. She said the rest of the crowd behaved well and caused no trouble. Officials mentioned that on Aug 2, 2025, Kaiser Chiefs, The Wombats and Snow Patrol will perform, and their rock sets are expected to bring even more people.
Suikerrock, held annually in Tienen since 1987, is one of Belgium’s biggest city festivals, known for mixing international headliners with local talent and drawing tens of thousands of visitors to the grounds of the historic Tienen Sugar Refinery.
Originally a small community event, it has grown into a 3-day festival featuring pop, rock, hip-hop, and dance acts, with past performers including Sting, Robbie Williams, and Santana. Officials mentioned that the festival also plays a major role in boosting the local economy, with hotels, cafés, and restaurants seeing a surge in business.
