Lokeren is a city of 43,000 residents (2020) in East Flanders. The city is home to several nature reserves and one of the most famous annual musical events of Belgium.

Understand

Until the 1970s the economy of Lokeren was mainly based on haircutting (cutting hair from rabbits to make felt) and slaughterhauses. This reflects in the cityscape with many houses built for blue collar workers. Today's of Lokeren is much more diverse. North of the city is a large green area (close to the Daknam village), with many hiking and biking opportunities.

• 1 Tourist office (Infopunt Toerisme), Markt 2, ☏ +329 340 94 74, toerisme@lokeren.be. M-F 10:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00. Between 1 May and 30 September also open on Saturdays 10:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00. Closed on Sundays. (updated Feb 2016)

Get in

By train

1 Lokeren Railway Station is located quite centrally. It is only a short walk from the station to the main city square. The station is located on the busy Ghent-Antwerp line. Lokeren is also accessible directly from Brussels, as it often functions as the terminal station of a line through Dendermonde.

By car

The main roads are E17 (motorway Ghent-Antwerp) and N70 (Sint-Niklaas-Ghent).

Get around

The center of Lokeren is fairly compact and easily discovered on foot.

See

• 1 St. Laurence Church, Markt 55.  
• 2 Town Hall, Groentemarkt 1. 
• 3 Former Post Office (on the corner of the Markt square and Durmenlaan). (updated Aug 2017)

Do

• 1 Durmebad, Sportlaan 2, ☏ +32 9 340 50 80. The communal swimming pool. €2. (updated Jan 2018)

Events

Lokerse Feesten

• Lokerse Feesten: . A music festival in the beginning of August. It often features big foreign artists, which makes the festival well known all over Belgium. Late July to early August. (date needs fixing)

Eat

• Horse meat sausage. The local specialty is paardenworst, a sausage made of horse meat. 
• De Wandelaar, Daknam-dorp 99 (Daknam), ☏ +32 9 349 44 90. A modest casual restaurant. Good food for a reasonable price. Limited menu. Quite far the city center though. €10-20. 
• 1 De Vernieuwing, Martelarenlaan 4, ☏ +32 9 279 69 70, info@devernieuwing.be. Tu closed. With a large outdoor playground for the smaller ones. 

Drink

There are a few bars on the Markt square.

Go next

• Lake Donk in Berlare is not far.
• Sint-Niklaas
• Ghent