Brussels will be packed full of cultural events and festivals this weekend, with events celebrating comics, water lanterns, Belgian heritage and poetry scheduled.
From a free comic festival to the Heritage Days and a poetry festival, here are The Brussels Times recommendations for this weekend.
Arts, music and culture
Poetik Bazar, Les Halles de Schaerbeek, 18 to 20 September
Poetik Bazar, Brussels’ annual poetry market and festival, returns this weekend at Les Halles de Schaerbeek. The multilingual event will bring together more than 100 publishers from Belgium, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Quebec.
Credit: Poetik Bazar
Visitors can browse a wide range of poetry publications, from books and magazines to micro-publications and illustrated works. Readings, performances, talks, creative workshops, book signings and concerts will also take place.
Find ticket information here.
Heritage Days, various locations in Brussels, 19 and 20 September
Organised by Urban, the 38th annual Heritage Days event will explore the capital’s built and natural environments, as well as its public spaces, infrastructure, neighborhoods and panoramic views.
Credit: Visit.Brussels
Visitors can discover sites rarely accessible to the public and consider how architecture, residents, and everyday activities have shaped the city over time. The Brussels-Capital Region, as part of the European Heritage Days, helped organise the event.
Find more details here.
All of the lights
Water Lantern Festival, Bois de la Cambre, 19-20 September
The Water Lantern Festival lights up the Bois de la Cambre lake for a magical evening. Participants can decorate their own lanterns and then set them afloat at sunset.
Credit: Water Lantern Festival
Make the most of the day to grab a bite to eat, have a drink, chat to people and write a wish, a memory or a message on your lantern. The perfect way to spend a moment of shared enjoyment and contemplation in the middle of Brussels’ natural surroundings.
Find more information here.
Out and about
BD Comic Strip Festival, near the Bourse building, 19-20 September
The annual BD Comic Strip festival will kick off this Friday near the Bourse building in central Brussels. Two days of exhibitions, signings, talks and activities are planned, giving visitors the chance to meet established and emerging artists and explore the latest developments in the Belgian comics scene.
Credit: BD Comic Strip Festival
The event is free to attend, and comic enthusiasts of all ages will find something to enjoy during the festival.
Find more information here.
Car-free Sunday, all over Brussels, Sunday 20 September
The entire Brussels-Capital Region will become Europe's largest car-free zone on Sunday, as motorised traffic (except for emergency and authorised vehicles) will be banned across all 19 Brussels municipalities from 09:30 to 19:00.
Car-Free Sunday 2023. Credit: Orlando Whitehead / The Brussels Times
Pedestrians and cyclists will have the opportunity to take over streets that are usually congested by traffic. With cars off the streets, numerous activities will take place all over the capital.
Find more information here.
