La Louvière isn’t just a town in Hainaut: it’s a lively, festive place, with something happening every season. Between carnival, urban operas, Walloon festivities and Christmas markets, it’s easy to lose track. So here’s our 2026 calendar of the big events in La Louvière — and, each time, the practical tip: where to eat before or after?

At Mamma Maria, Rue de la Loi 40, we’re based right in the heart of town, about 350 metres from the central station. Which means we’re perfectly placed to welcome you before the celebrations, or to help you recover afterwards.

The Laetare: THE event of the year (late March)

If you ask anyone from La Louvière what the event of the year is, the answer comes without hesitation: the Laetare. This carnival, listed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage alongside the Walloon traditional carnivals as a whole, transforms the town for three days.

  • When: late March (the fourth Sunday of Lent, plus the two surrounding days)
  • Where: the whole town centre, with a focal point around Place Maugretout and Place Mansart
  • Atmosphere: Gilles, masks, orange-throwing, folk societies, music everywhere

It’s festive, it’s intense, and it’s exhausting — in the best way. There’s walking, dancing, meeting people, singing. You’ll be hungry before. You’ll be hungry after. And in between, you’ll need a breather.

Our practical advice: get in touch to book your table in advance. During the Laetare, the town is packed, and the good tables fill up fast. A lunch or dinner before the festivities with us, and you’ll head out well fuelled to keep the pace.

Décrocher la Lune (September, every 3 years)

The other big event in La Louvière is Décrocher la Lune: a monumental urban opera, performed outdoors, held every three years on Place Maugretout and the surrounding streets. Giants, puppets, music, dance, fire, water — it’s a complete, free spectacle that draws tens of thousands of spectators.

  • When: September, next edition according to the town’s official calendar
  • Where: Place Maugretout and the town centre
  • Style: grand popular spectacle, created by local artist Franco Dragone

To make the most of it, we recommend arriving early in the afternoon, eating before the show (which takes place in the evening), then heading back towards the square on a full stomach. Our address, 350m from the station and a short walk from the centre, is ideal for this.

To plan your meal around the show, check out our guide where to eat before Décrocher la Lune.

Fêtes de Wallonie (September)

More traditional, more local, more convivial: the Fêtes de Wallonie bring several towns in southern Belgium to life, and La Louvière is no exception.

  • When: around the third weekend of September
  • Atmosphere: concerts, dances, entertainment, neighbourhood spirit
  • Audience: very broad — families, friends, neighbours

This is typically an occasion for a family lunch in town, a drink, then carrying on through the streets. For a Fêtes de Wallonie Sunday meal in an Italian trattoria, with a sharing antipasti board and a few wood-fired pizzas, we’re happy to oblige.

The Christmas Village and Winter Roller Party (December)

When winter arrives, La Louvière lights up. The Christmas Village sets up in the town centre, with its wooden chalets and huts, mulled wine, pop-up ice rink and — now something of a local signature — the Winter Roller Party, an open-air roller-skating rink.

  • When: December, through the festive season
  • Where: town centre, pedestrian squares
  • Atmosphere: family-friendly by day, festive by night

It’s cold outside. Which makes it the perfect moment to head into a proper pizzeria, settle in next to the wood fire, and order a tiramisu to round off the evening. That’s part of the festa too: getting warm.

New Year’s Eve dinners

New Year’s Eve (31 December) in La Louvière is often a big meal with family or friends, followed by a stroll into town for the fireworks and late-opening cafés. At Mamma Maria, we’re happy to welcome groups for an Italian-style New Year’s Eve dinner: antipasti, pizza, dolci, and everything needed to see out the year around a large table.

Capacity for up to 42 guests with exclusive restaurant hire. Let’s discuss it together from the autumn, because places for the 31st fill up fast.

Valentine’s Day & Mother’s Day

Two more intimate dates, but ones that matter:

  • Valentine’s Day (14 February): a romantic wood-fired dinner, a perfect Margherita, a tiramisu to share spoon by spoon. Booking recommended.
  • Mother’s Day (second Sunday of May in Belgium, except in particular years): the family Sunday lunch, where Mum doesn’t have to cook. Obviously.

For Mother’s Day in particular, remember: May is also communion season in La Louvière. Book early — see our guide to communions and christenings.

All year round: cultural outings nearby

La Louvière isn’t just a festive town: it’s also a regional cultural hub. Here are the outings we recommend to our customers throughout the year:

  • The Royal Museum of Mariemont (Morlanwelz, a few minutes by car): a magnificent park with art and archaeology collections
  • Keramis – Ceramics Centre in La Louvière itself: a modern museum dedicated to ceramic art
  • The Bois-du-Luc mining site, listed as UNESCO World Heritage: a journey into Wallonia’s industrial past
  • The Boat Lifts of the Canal du Centre, also UNESCO-listed: a feat of engineering unlike anything else in the world

Many visitors combine a cultural visit in the morning, a lunch in town, and an afternoon stroll. Our address in the centre, a short walk from the station, suits this rhythm perfectly.

To decide on your meal before heading out, also check out our 60×40 cm sharing pizza.

Where to eat before or after? (our address)

As mentioned, we’re at Rue de la Loi 40, 7100 La Louvière, about 350 metres from the central station. In practical terms:

  • On foot: 5 minutes from the station, 10 minutes from most of the town centre’s squares
  • Opening hours: 7 days a week except Tuesday, 12pm-2.30pm and 6pm-10.30pm
  • Dine-in, takeaway, delivery across La Louvière and neighbouring areas
  • Capacity: up to 42 guests with exclusive hire of the dining room
  • Phone: +32 64 28 32 73
  • Email: mammamarianet@gmail.com

For major event days (Laetare, Décrocher la Lune, Fêtes de Wallonie, Christmas market), we always recommend booking. During these periods, the best tables in La Louvière fill up within a few hours.

For more practical information, you can check our FAQ, take a look at the menu, or see our Exclusive Hire page if you’re coming as a group.

We love La Louvière for its festivals, its Gilles, its giants, its UNESCO boat lifts and its popular energy. And after a day spent exploring the town, there’s nothing better than a proper wood-fired pizza and a family waiting for you at the table. We’ll keep a place for you at Mamma Maria. A presto!

To arrange your visit, find our contact details and enquiry form here. Please specify your preferred date and time for the meal.