Festivals and events

The cultural calendar will provide you with more details.

Typical Brussels events

• May - Iris Day (FR/NL): The Brussels-Capital Region’s annual festival of celebration
• May - Festival of Europe (FR/NL): open day and activities in and around the institutions of the European Union
• May - Zinneke Parade: a colourful, multicultural parade through the centre of Brussels (even years)
• June-July - Ommegang: historical spectacle restaging the arrival of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, into Brussels
• August - Carpet of flowers on Grand-Place (even years)
• September - Belgian beer weekend: beer festival on Grand-Place

Cinema

• Information on film festivals in Brussels (FR/NL) (the Brussels Film Festival, Anima, the Festival du Court Métrage, the Festival du Film Fantastique, the Festival du Cinéma Méditerranéen, the Festival du Film Latino-Américain, the Festival du Film Gay et Lesbien, outdoor screenings and lots more) is available on cinenews.be; keep an eye on the cultural calendars to find out about festivals coming soon in Brussels.

Music

• May - Brussels Jazz Weekend: jazz concerts throughout Brussels
• June - Couleur Café: world music festival (Tour & Taxis)
• June - Fête de la Musique: free concerts in Wallonia and Brussels (FR)
• July- De Gulden Ontsporing: festival of the Flemish Community in Brussels, with free concerts (NL)
• July - Brosella Folk & Jazz: free open-air jazz and folk concerts at Théâtre de Verdure
• August - Brussels Summer Festival : five days of summer concerts throughout Brussels

Leisure

• February-March - Museum Night Fever : the Night of the Brussels Museums
• March - Foire du Livre de Bruxelles (FR): Belgium’s book fair for French speakers
• June-September - Roller and Bike Parade: gatherings every Friday to bike or rollerblade through the streets of Brussels
• July-August - Bruxelles les Bains: a beach along Brussels canal, with a whole host of summer activities
• July-August - Foire du Midi: large Brussels fair along Boulevard du Midi (FR/NL)
• July-August-September - Festival Bruxellons! (FR/NL): theatre all the summer in Brussels
• September-October - Comic strip festival: festival of comic strip art in Brussels (FR/NL)
• September-December : Brussels Museums Late Nights Openings
• October - Nuit Blanche: lots of after-dark activities to explore Brussels from another perspective
• November-December - Versus: an improvisational theatre tournament (FR) organised by the Ligue d'Improvisation Wallonie-Bruxelles
   

Markets

Virtually every commune in Brussels has its own weekly market and annual fair. These are the best known ones:

• Every Sunday morning - Midi market: food, clothing, exotic products, plants (around Brussels-Midi station and Boulevard du Midi)
• Every Saturday and Sunday morning - Antiques market on Place du Grand Sablon
• Every morning: Marolles flea market on Place du Jeu de Balle
• Every first Sunday morning of the month: Woluwe flea market on Boulevard de la Woluwe
• December-January: Plaisirs d'Hiver: Christmas market and skating rink on Grand-Place and Place Sainte-Catherine