As the nights get cooler, heading outside in the evenings is becoming increasingly less appealing – but there's still plenty to discover in Brussels this time of year!
From one of the biggest nights on the capital's cultural calendar, to Comic Con cosplay, a flamenco show and musical theatre, find all our favourite activities below.
Out and about
Music Night Fever, various locations, Saturday 18 October
For one night and one night only each year, dozens of Brussels' museums keep their doors open late into the evening. This year, for its 18th edition, a total of 33 museums will be welcoming late-night visitors until 1am and laying on an impressive programme with concerts, craft workshops, behind-the-scenes tours and more.
Museum Night Fever at the Museum of Natural Sciences in 2011. Credit: Museum Night Fever
Participating museums include the Art and History Museum, Autoworld, Bozar, BELvue, the Comic Strip Museum, the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces, the National Bank of Belgium and Train World. The Old Masters Museum and the Belfius Art Gallery are also making a comeback this year, and the photography and contemporary imagery museum Contretype is participating for the first time. There will also be two after-parties at C12 and Botanique for those wanting to dance the night away.
Find more information here.
Heroes Comic Con, Brussels Expo, Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October
Ever wanted to meet your heroes? Now's your chance! Brussels Expo will be transformed into a huge playground for fans of gaming, TV series, movies, and pop culture this weekend. Visitors only need a single ticket to gain access to three cult events: Made in Asia, Heroes Comic Con, and GameForce. Buy merch from your favourite shows, watch cosplayers, play games, give voiceover work a go by dubbing anime characters, try Taekwondo or even lightsaber lessons.
Credit: Heroes Comic Con
There will also be a J-pop concert, exciting video game tournaments, testing of the new Switch 2 at the Nintendo booth, and a virtual reality shooting arena, ultra-realistic racing simulators, and discover an award-winning sensory exhibition that plunges you into the last days of Pompeii. Finally, Gillian Anderson of 'X Files' and 'Sex Education' fame will be ready to meet fans, as well as Jason Priestley and Gabrielle Carteris and many more.
Find more information here.
Brussels Makers Market, Tour & Taxis, Sunday 19 October
One of Brussels' most unique craft markets is once again returning to Gare Maritime in northern Brussels this weekend to showcase original products made by Belgian manufacturers and forge new connections between creators and customers.
Credit: Brussels Makers Market
Expect talented independent designers and distinctive treasures in one of the most beautiful covered spaces in the city. And while you're in the area, why not enjoy a walk around the park next door, or grab a bite to eat at the food market?
Find more information here.
Art, music, theatre
Rocío Márquez & Pedro Rojas + Momi Maiga, Flagey, Friday 17 October
Europalia España celebrations continue this Friday with a unique double-bill coming to Flagey's concert hall. Rocío Márquez, regarded as one of the most influential voices in the contemporary Spanish flamenco scene, will be the first to take to the stage with guitarist Pedro Rojas. Márquez's "visceral and beautiful, transgressive and powerful" music explores the boundaries of flamenco and reinvents the genre without denying its roots.
Credit: Momi Maiga
In the second half of the show, young Senegalese kora virtuoso Momi Maiga will offer a refreshingly different set with his quartet, blending jazz, flamenco and West African tradition. From hypnotic kora to captivating percussion, cello and violin, each track on his second album 'Kairo' (Mandinka for "peace") is a story, rooted in tradition but radically contemporary.
Find more information here.
'Tick, tick...BOOM!', Stassart House, until 2 November
This raw and deeply human musical by Jonathan Larson, the creator of the musical theatre smash hit RENT, follows Jon, a struggling composer living in New York City in 1990 who is about to turn 30. He has big ambitions but time is running out, and he must decide whether to stay and risk everything for a dream that may never come true or walk away before it’s too late.
Credit: The Brussels Times
Directed and choreographed by Ewan Jones, this semi-autobiographical story pulses with ambition, fear, and the relentless pressure of unrealised potential. Performances will be followed by a series of thought-provoking talks.
Find more information here.
Final weekend!
Festival des Libertés, Théâtre National, until Saturday 18 October
The much-loved Festival des Libertés is drawing to a close this weekend. The festival is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary with an eclectic programme of debates, film screenings and concerts – many of which are free. Issues such as the place of men in feminism, tensions between trade unions and employers, and the rise of the far-right and secularism in a pluralistic society are at the heart of the discussions.
Credit: Festival des Libertés
In the final couple of days, make sure not to miss the free photo exhibition dedicated to the women and girls in Afghanistan since the Taliban's return to power, the film 'Billy', in which a victim of a violent assault reconnects with her attacker, 'Free Space', which explores the issue of "cancel culture" in the art world, a debate on secularism and co-existing religions, free concerts, and much more.
Find more information here.
Biennale de la danse 2025, various locations, until Saturday 18 October
This unmissable dance event showcases contemporary choreography from Belgium and beyond across three cities: Charleroi, Brussels, and Liège. This year's 30th edition promises yet another diverse and innovative programme with an array of Belgian and international artists.
Credit: Biennale de la danse 2025 / Laurent Philippe
This weekend, choreographer Nora Chipaumire will deliver a lively, wandering work that encapsulates the violence of colonialism as a force for political protest at Les Halles de Schaerbeek, with an afterparty at Bozar. Head to Charleroi (shuttle bus available from Brussels) to catch 'Bruits Marrons' by Brazilian artist Calixto Neto, whose work focuses on telling the stories of marginalized lives and their unique trajectories, and also 'Ballet de Lorraine', a frenetically energetic complex dance featuring 23 performers.
Find more information here.
