This weekend is a big one for Brussels: Belgium's French-speaking community is celebrating its annual day with a host of fun, free activities, the Art Square is back in town and the EU is hosting its annual multilingualism day.
Various festivals are also on the cards, from beer and Korean films to Latin-American culture and Belgian comic strips. Find all our favourite activities happening in the Belgian capital below.
Arts, music and culture
Free concert, Grand Place, Friday 26 September
A major free concert – 'Le Grand Rendez-Vous' – is being organised on Brussels' most iconic square to kick off the weekend, as part of the French-speaking Community's annual celebrations this week.
Free concert held at the Grand Place in Brussels on 27 September 2022 for French Community Day. Credit: Belga
This year, big names in Belgium will grace the stage in Brussels' city centre, such as Belgian DJ Alex Germys, producer DJ Licious, and singer Alex Lucas; Alice on the Roof; Axelle Red; Camille Yembe; Lou B; and many more. The concert will begin at 19:30 and access to the square will be closed off when it reaches maximum capacity – so get there early!
Find more information here.
BXLBeerFest, Gare Maritime, 28 and 29 September
Belgium excels in brewing, and this craft beer festival is a celebration of the country's creations. BXLBeerFest offers a chance to sample the lesser-known krieks, gueuzes, witbiers, bruins, saisons, dubbels, tripels and others from independent breweries – and "there is no place for industrial beers."
BXLBeerFest 2023. Credit: Miguel Rivas - The Beertrekker
Over 30 breweries will be in attendance, serving up a wide selection of beers from Belgium and beyond in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. A two-day ticket costs €22 and includes six tokens and a commemorative glass.
Find more information here.
BD Comic Strip Festival, Gare Maritime, from 26 to 28 September
A staple of Brussels' annual events calendar, the free BD Comic Strip festival is back again this weekend, welcoming 50 exhibitors. There will be talks and signing sessions, children's games and activities, exhibitions, workshops, an area dedicated to manga and the popular international pavilion. The 2025 Atomium Awards will also take place,
BD Comic Strip Festival 2022. Credit: visit.brussels / Jean-Paul Remy
This year's festival will place particular emphasis on Dutch-language comics, while a new space will be dedicated to digital techniques and drawing. The theme is pink and purple, inspired by Belgian writer and illustrator Alix Garin, renowned for her graphic novels 'Ne m'oublie pas' and 'Impénétrable'.
Find more information here.
Open air, Place Poelaert, Saturday 27 September
Get ready to see off the summer at Brussels' most iconic sunset spot! Maatwerk and Fancy Footwork are hosting the final open air of the season this Saturday, bringing people together through good music and a buzzing atmosphere.
Credit: Maatwerk Events
Kicking off at 13:00, the stellar line-up features Tess, Fiene, Concierge d'Amour, Lewis Taylor, and John Noseda – the best way to dance the night (and day) away.
Find more information here.
Multilingualism Day, European Parliament, Friday 26 and Saturday 27 September
This weekend, the European Parliament will open its doors to the public to celebrate linguistic diversity in the EU. The event offers eager linguists an opportunity to peek behind the scenes of the world's most multilingual parliament. Visitors can meet staff, learn about their work and set foot inside the Hemicycle where MEPs debate and vote.
Life inside an interpreter's booth. Credit: EU Interpreters / Facebook
There is a varied programme of online workshops available on Friday, while on Saturday, visitors can attend talks on-site. These include a day in the life of an interpreter or translator, how the professions have evolved in the age of AI and multilingualism in democracy, among others. People can even test out the interpreting booths, participate in language games and workshops in different languages and translate alongside experts.
Find more information here.
Brussels Art Square, Sablon, until Sunday 28 September
This weekend, over 50 galleries are opening their doors in the city's affluent Sablon district during Brussels Art Square – a unique event for art lovers to discover exceptional pieces, contemporary artists and international galleries from Vienna, Switzerland, London and Paris, among others.
Credit: Brussels Art Square / Facebook
Sculptures, paintings, jewellery and furniture spanning 10,000 years of history and artistic trends will be on display at the 20th edition of Brussels Art Square. Participating galleries will present works from Ancient Egypt, Greece, China and Japan, 18th Century Furniture, tribal art, Art Nouveau and Art Deco, Murano Glass, 19th Century Sculptures, contemporary art and jewellery, and much more.
Find more information here.
Fêtes Romanes, Wolubilis, 27 and 28 September
Woluwe-Saint-Lambert's unmissable street art event is back with a host of lively and entertaining performances, from dizzying acrobatics, circus and gravity-defying balancing acts to street theatre acts, puppetry and comedy shows.
Credit: Wolubilis
Fans of fashion, design, vintage, jewellery and handmade items should head along to Rencontre des créateur.ice.s, where around 30 creators will showcase their works and explain their techniques.
Find more information here.
Korean Film Weekend, Cinema Palace and Cinema Galeries, from 26 to 28 September
This three-day celebration of Korean cinema, hosted by two of Brussels' independent cinemas, will showcase three carefully-selected films which each highlight the richness and diversity of Korea's cinematic landscape and celebrate storytelling and artistry.
Credit: Korean Cultural Center
Friday will see a screening of the action film 'The Point Men' (2023), in which a Korean diplomat is dispatched to Afghanistan after a group of tourists is taken hostage by the Taliban. 'Noise' (2024), on Saturday, is a horror/thriller about Ju-young, a woman with a hearing impediment who is haunted by inexplicable sounds and sense an evil presence as she investigates her sister's disappearance. Finally, 'Secret: Untold Melody' (2023), on Sunday, follows a promising pianist in a slump who encounters a young woman playing mysterious music, forcing him to make a once-in-a-lifetime decision.
Find more information here.
Out and about
Last year, the municipality of Saint-Gilles threw a huge party to celebrate the 120th anniversary of its town hall, which featured a thrilling zipwire across the square. It was such a success that they've decided to do it all over again!
Zipwire above Saint-Gilles' town hall. Credit: Commune de Saint-Gilles - Gemeente Sint-Gillis (Officiel)
From 14:00, there will be food trucks serving up delicious dishes and a host of activities for all ages on offer: abseiling, a climbing wall, live graffiti art, and music, before the lively dance party begins at 20:00.
Find more information here.
'Journées du Matrimoine', various locations in Brussels, from 26 to 28 September
This weekend, the non-profit L'architecture qui dégenre will hold the alternative 'Journées du Matrimoine' (Matrimony Days) dedicated to women, following on from the 'Journées du patrimoine' (Heritage Days) earlier this month.
Credit: L'architecture qui dégenre
Explore the capital's artistic, political and feminist heritage through over 30 activities, including a guided tour of the Maison du Roi, which will introduce visitors to the challenges a city museum faces in documenting the place of women in the development of Brussels. Another tour will explore the role of women in the lives of 19th and 20th-century artists, and the invisible care work, domestic work, and creative collaboration they undertook.
Find more information here.
Festival Latino, Place Sainte-Catherine, Saturday 27 September
Another summer send-off, this free event celebrating all things Latin-American follows on from the popular 'I Love Ecuador' festival and promises a great day out for all the family, with clowns, sweet and savoury dishes, fun activities, dancing and piñatas aplenty.
Credit: Festival Latino en Belgique
The afterparty will kick off at 22:30 at Chez Guillermina, just down the road from the festival, for those who want to dance to cumbia, bachata, merengue, salsa and reggaeton late into the night.
Find more information here.
