This is the big Brussels celebration weekend, with free live music and events dotted across the city. Your only problem will be to choose what you go to – although it should be easy to nip between the Moomin parade and the EU institutions’ open day on Saturday.
Saturday is both the official holiday for the Brussels-Capital Region and also Europe Day, which marks the anniversary of the Schuman declaration that kickstarted European integration. You may notice that the Brussels-Capital Region's festivities aren’t as loud as in previous years.
Budget cutbacks mean the city is focusing on just one day of partying with a big concert at Place de Palais, although several communes are still keeping the spirit alive with smaller family-focused festivities.
Moomins and political open doors
Moomin parade, Square Ambiorix, Etterbeek – Saturday, events from 10:00 and parade from 14:00
Finland’s favourite whimsical white creatures will take over the EU quarter on Saturday, with a brass band leading the way. This is the second year of the Moomin parade after a stellar event to mark their 80th birthday last year. While the parade only gets going from Square Ambiorix at 14:00, there are events in the morning in the nearby Cinquantenaire Park in the pavilion next to the playground.
Credit: Moomin Parade
This will include readings from the books in English and French, a morning workout with the feisty Little My, short films for children and a colouring workshop. Local restaurants are partnering with the event to make a whole day of it. The organisers warn that Moomin balloons are a key part of the parade and they go on sale from 10:00 on Square Ambiorix after selling out early last year.
Find more information here.
Europe Day at the EU institutions, Etterbeek – Saturday, from 10:00 to 18:00
Saturday is Europe Day, which is usually a day off for EU officials. The doors will be open at the big glossy buildings of the EU quarter where some of those civil servants try to explain the EU to the general public. That will be helped by games, freebies and live music across the area. Animopera, a local group that perform opera for children, will be singing Ode to Joy at the 10:00 opening ceremony at the esplanade in front of the European Commission – the start of a day of live music there.
Credit: EU
There will be K-Pop dance at the European External Action Service at 14:30 among many around-the-world activities. The Council building, one of the more impressive to visit, promises folk dancing and a 'passport' to discover all 27 EU member states. The European Parliament, meanwhile, has a kids’ activity sheet and a cybersecurity game. And there’s also the Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee, where you could be lured in by glitter tattoos and a live cartoonist.
Find more information here.
Parlement Bruxellois, rue du Lombard 69, 1000 Bruxelles – Sunday, 13:00 to 19:00
If you’ve got a taste for politics, the Brussels Parliament is also open for visitors on Sunday. Wisely, the explanation of complicated local decision-making is matched with Spanish music, a clown show, mime, balloon sculpture, face-painting, a mask workshop and fairies bearing bonbons.
Find more information here.
Street parties
Fête de l’Avenue de Tervueren, Etterbeek and Woluwe Saint-Pierre – Sunday, 11:00 to 19:00
One of Brussels’ best street parties is the 3km-long festival for the Avenue de Tervueren from Merode all the way past the Montgomery roundabout to the Chien Vert tram stop near the Woluwe park. Cars will be banned, giving this the feel of car-free day with small children on bikes cycling or skating in the middle of the road.
Credit: Woluwe-Saint-Pierre
There’s loads to do, with local sports clubs showing off their activities, a craft village selling items by local artists, bouncy castles, face-painting, food trucks and more. Square Léopold II will host puppet shows and a dance and acrobatics show. There’ll also be a unicorn and a fairy walking about.
Find more information here.
Family Day, Place Keym, Watermael-Boitsfort – Saturday, from 12:00 to 18:00
Watermael-Boitsfort’s celebration of the Iris festival takes a Belle Époque theme, heading back to 1900 with people in costume, a penny farthing cycle, a high striker, games from the period, and accordion and jazz music. Thankfully there’s also the standard bouncy castle and face-painting too.
Credit: Watermael-Boitsfort
Find more information here.
Fête des Familles, rue Marie-Christine, Laeken – Saturday, from 11:00 to 18:00
This Laeken neighbourhood is running a pot-luck, asking people to bring food to share and offering children a bouncy castle and face-painting along with food and music for all.
Find more information here.
Get on your bike
Grand Kidical Mass, place du Trône – Sunday, 15:00
A few families started bike tours in Brussels six years ago, creating a movement that now sees parents and children getting together on cargo bikes, longtails and regular two-wheelers at least once a week across different parts of Brussels.
They all come together on Sunday for a big one with an international flavour: participants from other countries have been asked to come along and have been offered sofas to sleep on and bikes to use.
Credit: Kidical Mass
The event sets off from Place du Trône at 15:00 for a 5km cycle across the city centre. Participants are encouraged to come in costume and to be as colourful as possible. The tour ends up at Parc Royal at around 16:00 where there’ll be live music and fun stuff for kids.
Find more information here.
Kanal Grande, Tour & Taxis and MolenWest – Sunday, 14.30
The Brussels canal has its own family bike parade on the second Sunday of every month, leaving from two different locations at Tour & Taxis and Square MolenWest near Gare de l’Ouest at 14:30. It’s a 10km trip, but it’s an easy flat route along the canal.
Credit: Molembike
Find more information here.
