Belgium’s International Cartoon Festival Knokke-Heist, returning 21st March to 3rd May 2026, is celebrating its 65th edition next year, the oldest such event in the world. They have just launched their associated, long-running Golden Hat cartoon contest, open to cartoonists from across the globe.

The Golden Hat is an international cartoon competition with an open theme, all cartoons a visual gag only (no captions) – and has a top prize 5.000 € for the “Golden Hat”. All persons aged at least 18 years can participate in this international competition

The organisers define a cartoon as “a humorous drawing. This may be a caricature of a famous person, a parody of a real situation, or simply a picture of a funny situation. The cartoon may consist of one image or take the form of a short comic strip. No moving images allowed.”

Full details and the Registration Form are here. The deadline for entries is 31st December 2025

Last year, no fewer than 601 participants from 65 countries submitted a total of 2535 cartoons for De Grote Prijs Knokke-Heist, the winners work published in a book published by Lanoo. You can check out the short list for 2025 here

“In times when free speech is under pressure, cartoons are more relevant than ever,” the organisers have previously stated. “What the Golden Hat participants show is clear: in a polarised world, it is vital that we continue to laugh – at each other, at ourselves, and even at that which divides us. Humor connects where words fall short.”

Do note that under the terms of entry, all submitted works shall become the property of the organising body related to the cartoon festival.

Knokke-Heist is Belgium’s best-known and most affluent seaside resort, located on the border between Belgium and the Netherlands, just under thirty minutes from Zeebrugge. During the Festival, founded back in 1962, Knokke-Heist comes alive with a celebration of Belgium’s rich tradition of comic books. For comic enthusiasts, from timeless classics to modern masterpieces, the event, which includes a comic market, exhibitions, meet and greets with comic creators and workshops, too, offers a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the magical world of comics.

• Full details and the Registration Form are here. The deadline for entries is 31st December 2025

• International Cartoon Festival Knokke-Heist returns 21st March to 3rd May 2026 | New website coming soon

• Cartoons 2025/2026 – Last year’s winners book (AmazonUK Affiliate Link)

Cartoons 2025/2026 collects the hundred best cartoons of the past contest in one book, the accompaniment to the annual Cartoon festival in Knokke-Heist in Belgium. Offering a mix of styles and themes its entirely visual cartoons should appeal to anyone with a love of the genre

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John Freeman

John  is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of  comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.

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