Festival fun! Your guide to Belgium’s top music events this summer

The outdoor music scene has kicked off in Belgium and rolls on all summer with every musical style catered to, from rock and electro, to folk, jazz and classical. If some of the country’s massive festivals, such as Tomorrowland, are sold out, you can still snag tickets to most of these events.

The Festivals of Wallonia are a summer-long celebration of classical musicwith concerts often fused with world, jazz and electronic sounds. A total of seven festivals adopt a nature theme with many concerts staged at more than one festival, including the family spectacle Les Aventures d'Octave et Mélo: le long de la rivière (ages four and up) and Faurés Requiem. Until 23 October, multiple locations

Summer classical music stalwart Midis-Minimes returns for its weekly serving of short lunchtime concerts at affordable prices (€6). Among the offerings this year are 18th century English music from Consort Songs (13.08) and the Etesiane Orchestra conducted by Gabriel Hollander, who close the festival. Until 31 August, Royal Conservatory and Notre-Dame des Victoires au Sablon, Brussels

This musical odyssey – spanning the 17th to 20th centuries and the heritage of the Mosane valley – boasts a picturesque backdrop with magical old stone churches, priories and fortresses serving as concert venues. For its 48th edition, the Festival de l’Été Mosan proposes an eclectic programme, from classical, early and chamber music to world sounds and jazz. This year, on the programme cellist Marie Hallynck (30.08) and traditional Irish music in The High Road to Kilkenny (24.08), among others. Until 31 August, locations along the Meuse valley (Wallonia)

The Namur festival Les Solidarities is once again based at a site out-of-town due to renovation work at the Citadel. The three day music festival celebrates its 10th anniversary with a multicultural line-up offering 42 artists, including La Valise, Colt, Fugu Mango and Mika. A village with around 40 stands by community volunteer groups inject a social vibe, and a wide array of food and drink options will keep festivalgoers fuelled. A parking space is earmarked at the nearby Namur Aerodrome and free shuttle buses will link it with the festival site as well as Namur train station. No camping facilities. 23-25 August, Site Ecolys, Temploux (Namur)

Hats off to Mechelen for maintaining Maanrock, Belgian’s largest free city-centre based music festival. Multiple stages host big and up-and-coming local bands including Bavr, Bizkit Park, De Ketnetband and Natalia. Also performing, will be the beloved Flemish singer and Günther Neefs, who is bringing his full live band for a show full of nostalgia and musical highlights. 22-25 August, across Mechelen

See The Bulletin's guide to arts, performance, literary and family festivals here.

Photos: (main image) ©Couleur Café; Rock Werchter ©Jokko; Klarafestival Walden BjornComhaire; Esperanzah Les Patineurs Credit Eline Vyncke; Gouvy ©Jose Nicolas; Alcatraz ©Claus Christa