The Brussels Open Air Festival returns on Saturday for its third edition, with five landmark venues across the capital expected to host nearly 11,000 people, organisers said.
This year’s edition has attracted record interest, with 32 applications submitted by collectives under the festival’s call for projects, up from 19 in 2025.
A jury selected ten of them based on criteria including organisational capacity, inclusivity, gender balance in the line-up and strong links to Brussels.
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Organisers said the response reflects the vitality of Brussels’ nightlife sector and the festival’s growing appeal.
The selected collectives include Vostock, La Fabriek and 21AM in partnership with the Bloody Louis club.
Events will run from 14:00 to 22:00 at five locations in the capital: the Dalle du Congrès at the former Administrative City site, Place Poelaert, Place d’Espagne, Place Jean Rey and Vaux Hall.
Launched by the City of Brussels in 2024, the festival builds on the “Club Open Air” project, a call for proposals introduced in 2021 to allow Brussels nightlife operators to stage outdoor events at the Administrative City site.
“Brussels has genuine cultural and festive expertise, and our role is to encourage decision-makers to support young people and Brussels talent through initiatives such as the Brussels Open Air Festival,” said Lorenzo Serra, co-founder of Brussels By Night.
