This is the last weekend of the summer for children due back in French-speaking schools. Make the most of it with festivals in parks, activities in a library garden, trains in museums and maybe even a meeting with Peppa Pig.
French speakers have several music and theatre offerings to choose from. Early risers on a Sunday can hear classical music and literature in green surroundings in Ixelles. The Kidzik music festival has a summer edition at a farm in Louvain-la-Neuve. You can also catch a show in Waterloo or take in the trees at Tour & Taxis on a storytelling nature walk.
Park life
Family festival, parc du Viaduc, Ixelles – Sunday, 14:00-18:30
Ixelles wraps up the summer with a family festival at parc du Viaduc on Sunday afternoon. There’ll be craft workshops, sports demonstrations, live music, face painting, giant bubbles, games, and, of course, a bouncy castle.
Find more information here.
Credit: Commune d'Ixelles
Music and dance weekend, parc Josephat, Schaerbeek – Saturday & Sunday, 14:00-19:00
Schaerbeek’s parc Josephat will end its summer weekend afternoon sessions by focusing on music and dance. Saturday has a philharmonic concert, zumba, and introductions to pole dance and forró, Sunday has percussion workshops, and an introduction to salsa followed by salsa dancing into the evening.
Find more information here.
Zomersproetjes mini-family festival, Bibliotheek Etterbeek, Etterbeek – Saturday, 13:00-18:00
Etterbeek’s Dutch-speaking library opens up its garden for the last afternoon of a week-long family festival, with a ninja obstacle course for children between 2.5 years and 9 years.
For smaller children between 1 and 3 years old, there is also a craft workshop and sessions on creating stories for children over 7 years from 15:00. There is also a bar for drinks and snacks.
Find more information here.
Credit: Commune d'Etterbeek
Trains and toons
Model Train Exhibition, TrainWorld, Schaerbeek – Saturday & Sunday, 13:30-18:00
TrainWorld is showing an array of miniature trains until 30 August, with a special family weekend to show how they are made. Modelmakers will be on site to show how they create the tiny trains and a realistic landscape with trees and rivers.
Then, it’s over to the children who will have the chance to build their own dioramas or take up a new hobby. Entrance is €15 for adults, €11 for 6-17 years and €5 for 4-5 year-olds.
Find more information here.
Dreamland Woluwe, avenue des Communautes 101, Woluwe Saint-Lambert – Saturday, 10:00-18:00
Meet and greets with Peppa Pig, Squishmallows, and Transformers' BumbleBee are on offer for the opening festivities for this new toy and baby care store in the former Cora shopping centre. There will also be demonstrations for Lego, Smart Games and more.
Find more information here.
Credit: Dreamland
Music and words (so long as they’re in French)
Paroles d’oiseaux, Sonate & Sonnet, Rouge-Cloître, Auderghem – Sunday, 9:30-10:30
The last summer edition of these Sunday morning concerts aims to bring classical music and classical French literature to parents and children aged 8 and over.
The theme this week is birdsong, with work from Victor Hugo, Jean de la Fontaine, Jules Renard and Charles Baudelaire. Violin music comes from Bartok, Van Eyck and Bach.
Find more information here.
Pierre et le Loup (sur la route), Jardin Gibloux, Waterloo – Sunday, 15:00
You will discover Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf as you have never seen or heard it before, in a fresh version from Compagnie Artichoke that’s based around a 1980s VW van and accompanied by a wind quartet.
The French-language show, aimed at children of 5 and up, will be outdoors if the weather is good but can move indoors if it is raining.
Find more information here.
Credit: Artichoke company
Kidzik Été, Ferme du Biéreau, Louvain-la-Neuve – Saturday & Sunday, 10:00-17:00
Kidzik’s summer edition of its music and theatre festival for French-speaking little people takes place in Louvain-la-Neuve, a 30 minute drive from Brussels, with two days of workshops, storytelling, concerts and shows.
Highlights include Le p’tit bal des orignals, a musical introduction to North American animals for 3 years and over on Saturday at 15:15, as well as another showing of Compagnie Artichoke’s Pierre et le loup (sur la route), on Sunday at 11:30. There will also be games, stands, and plenty of snacks available on the site.
Find more information here.
Storytelling walk, Parckfarm at Tour & Taxis, Molenbeek – Sunday, 15:00-16:30
Trees are like people, each one is unique. Get to know them on this walk where archaeologist Ludwine Deblon tells the story while nature guide Françoise Baus tells you about the trees around Parckfarm, an urban farm and park created in a former railway valley.
You are asked to reserve in advance although it may also be possible to come along if there are no-shows.
Find more information here.
