The Forest Sounds Festival will celebrate its tenth edition this weekend on 28 and 29 August at Forest Abbey, with a line-up that gives pride of place to Brussels-based artists.
Launched in 2017, the festival has established itself as one of the main late-summer music events in Brussels.
The festival fills its usual slot at the end of August, closing out Brussels' summer season in style before the dreaded rentrée.
This year, the local scene will be represented in particular by the Brussels-based trio Whoman, who blend indie folk, experimental pop and rock, and by rapper Yasmine.
Forest Sounds festival in Brussels. Credit: Official Facebook Page
The Belgian-Italian trio Peixe e Limão, meanwhile, will offer a mix of folk, pop, jazz and classical music described as "deeply Brussels".
Brussels-based DJs will also feature prominently. Bo Meng, a leading figure on the capital’s nightlife scene, will blend Afrobeat, dancehall and house, whilst &RY will navigate between Afroclub, house and trance sounds.
The all-female collective Tropical DJipsies, formed in Brussels in 2019, will round off this local line-up.
Forest Sounds festival in Brussels. Credit: Official Facebook Page
The programme also features international artists, including the French quartet Edredon Sensible, the Congolese group Kin’Gongolo Kiniata and the Amsterdam-based trio Brass Rave Unit.
This tenth edition will take place in a layout adapted to the ongoing works at the abbey. The entrance will be moved to Rue des Abbesses, opposite the town hall.
Two stages, a DJ area, a community village, a family zone and around ten food trucks are planned.
Admission remains on a pay-what-you-can basis, with a minimum set at €4 on Friday, €6 on Saturday and €8 for both days. In 2025, the average contribution stood at €2.20 per person.
Forest Sounds festival in Brussels. Credit: Official Facebook Page
Last year, the festival switched from being free to a pay-what-you-can model, citing the move as important to ensure it can continue to operate amid ongoing financial difficulties.
"From day one, Forest Sounds festival has aimed to be open to everyone — no financial barriers. But today, that model is under threat," organisers said last year.
They mentioned unstable cultural funding and the few contributions in the past, which have "put the festival’s future at risk."
The festival is run by the non-profit organisation Le Palais des Sciences, in collaboration with the municipality of Forest and its cultural centre, Le Brass.
A community village complements the concerts and performances, with the aim of fostering social connections and introducing the public to local initiatives.
