As the summer holidays draw to a close Brussels is coming to life again, including on the cultural scene. This weekend has plenty in the way of entertainment, with events ranging from free park-based festivals to three days of board games. Find our favourites below!
Arts, music and culture
Festival Plazey, Parc Elisabeth in Koekelberg, Friday 23 to Sunday 25 August
Parc Elisabeth, which leads up to the iconic Basilique du Koekelberg, comes to life during Festival Plazey – a three-day free city festival organised by two community centres, Platoo and Zeyp. Listen to intimate concerts, marvel at the dance and circus performances, or take part in one of the many workshops.
Credit: Plazey
One biographical theatre performance challenges the audience to reflect on perceptions of non-normative bodies. A festive brass band brings everything from klezmer and Eastern European music to West African pop.
Find more information here.
Hide & Seek Festival, Muziekpublique, until Saturday 24 August
Muziekpublique's Hide & Seek stages traditional music performances in unusual places across Brussels. This edition marks a journey to distant lands, taking the audience on a trip through cultures and locations. Following on from last year's theme, the lineup features international talent as well as local artists.
Credit: Ixelles
The festival started last Sunday but there are still several performances to see, including by Les Kickeuses – known for their intimate concerts and lively folk dances – in the MIM (Musical Instruments Museum). Also playing is Jawa, a group dedicated to preserving the rich Sufi musical tradition of Aleppo, which is now threatened by the war in Syria.
Find more information here.
Alternative festivals
Tomato Festival, La Ferme Nos Pilifs, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 August
Much loved by locals, the Tomato Festival is unlike any other event in Brussels. This weekend will see the tenth edition with over 1,500 varieties of tomato on display. The very best artisanal and organic products can be tasted, with a mix of Belgian and international exhibitors.
Credit: La Ferme Nos Pilifs
Advice is also given on how to harvest seeds and grow the fruit. The pinnacle of the event will see a panel of connoisseurs select the best tomato.
Find more information here.
Brussels Games Festival, The EGG Anderlecht, Friday 23 to Sunday 25 August
The Brussels Games Festival (BGF) returns for its ninth edition. The three-day event promotes equal access to games in all their forms. Avid board gamers can meet and play a variety of games – from board, party and figurine games to educational, role-play or life-size games.
Hundreds of games are sold at the fair. Credit: BGF
More competitive attendees can enter tournaments while game aficionados can buy or sell second-hand games at the Games Fair.
Find more information here.
Further afield
Les Hottolfiades, Hotton, Friday 23 to Sunday 25 August
The international hot-air balloon festival is held in Hotton, in the province of Luxembourg, every fourth weekend of August. Aound 50 hot-air balloons will take to the skies, making for a colourful spectacle.
Credit: Les Hottolfiades
The flights usually take place at sunrise and two hours before sunset, when the wind is calmer and the air more stable. It is possible to take a flight and see the magnificent Walloon landscape from above, but tickets aren't cheap. Luckily, the view from below is also impressive and there are plenty of activities on the ground, such as concerts and games for children.
Find more information here.
Weekday fun
Feeërieën and Boterhammen In Het Park, Parc de Bruxelles, until Friday 30 August
While not taking place during the weekend, this is an unmissable event for Brussels locals. The region's iconic music temple Ancienne Belgique (AB) is back with its two free park-based music festivals next week. 'Boterhammen In Het Park' ('Sandwiches in the Park' in English) and 'Feeërieën' will take place in the Parc de Bruxelles in the city centre.
Credit: AB
'Boterhammen In Het Park' gives a stage to the best Flemish and Dutch-speaking artists of the moment while the 'Feeërieën' festival (celebrating its 20th edition this year) will feature music from around the world, with artists from Japan, South Africa, Morocco, Syria, France, Libya, Kenya, Portugal and Belgium.
Find more information here.
