What’s on this week: 28 August to 3 September

Feisty and fun Fiesta Latina moves to Cinquantenaire Park for the 25th anniversary edition of this annual festive Latino gathering. It stages dance shows and workshops, concerts and DJ sets, Mexican mariachi, food and cocktails and demonstrations of the notoriously bizarre Lucha Libre wrestling to immerse you in the colours, sounds, moves and even the tastes of Latin America thanks to a line-up of food trucks. Free for under 12s.  28-30 August, Cinquantenaire Park

Listed Art Deco Armand Steurs Square is the setting for The Art Square, an annual exhibition of monumental contemporary sculpture that invites reflection on artistic expression in an urban setting. Launched in 1993, this year’s edition presents some 30 works by Belgian and international artists. The green haven in the heart of the city embodies city landscaping in the interwar period and is already home to works by several artists, including Julien Dillens and Guillaume Charlier. 29 August to 29 September 9.00-17.00, Armand Steurs Square (Saint-Josse)

Craft cider festival PomPomPom sets out its stalls in the fabulous setting of Vaux-Hall in Brussels Park for the 5th edition of this thirst-quenching event.  It presents a new generation of cider makers, natural wine producers and artisan brewers, while live music and DJs provide the entertainment. Free entrance to the event; €3 for each glass, purchased via tokens. 29-30 August, Rue de la Loi 5

Plazey Festival is a free family-friendly event that is a perfect opportunity to enjoy a final summer holiday vibe. Staged in Elisabeth Park in Koekelberg, the urban neighbourhood festival invites musicians of various stripes and street theatre acts to entertain the crowds. Activities and workshops are designed for all ages, there’s an exhibition of nature works by visual artists in Arborescenses and a literary aperitif on Sunday. 28-30 August, Avenue des Glories Nationales (Koekelberg)

Cards, dice, tokens and boards of all sizes come out to play at the Brussels Games Festival. The annual event dedicated to board games caters to all ages and includes a market where you can pick up new and used games. The 11th edition also explores the theme “Dice Connexion,” as an alternative to digital screens. It also offers hundreds of free-to-play games, role-playing, crazy animations, a ProtoZone to discover the games of tomorrow, tournaments and Trading Card Games. Entrance €7. 28-30 August, The Egg, Rue Bara 175 (Anderlecht)

L’Afrique en couleurs offers a cultural immersion in the African continent with performances, concerts and shows staged over the weekend at Tour & Taxis. This 11th edition promises a diverse cultural display, from traditional and modern dances to open-air music, accompanied by a an electric atmosphere. Food trucks are also on-site. Free entrance. 29-30 August, Avenue du Port 86C (Molenbeek)

Wrapping up the city’s summer season in style, Forest Sounds promises a special blend of music and artistic activities. The 10th edition of the festival stages concerts, DJ sets and performances, all in an abbey setting. Food and drink also available. Tickets from €6 (for over 15s) on a ‘fair price’ basis. 28 August 18.00-midnight; 29 August 14.00-midnight, Abbaye de Forest  

City residents can get better acquainted with creatures of the night during a series of activities for all ages at the European Night of Bats on Saturday. The awareness-raising event in the green setting of the former Rouge-Cloître abbey is run by Brussels Environment in collaboration with Natagora, a nature conservation organisation in Brussels and Wallonia. Stands, activities, guided walks, a theatre show (without dialogue), screenings and nocturnal walks are all on the agenda for this 29th edition. 30 August 14.00-23.00, Rue du Rouge-Cloître (Auderghem)

The King Baudouin Foundation unveils its first photo exhibition, Heartwarming Stories, as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.  From 600 photos submitted, an independent jury selected 16; each one accompanied by an inspirational story from Belgium or abroad. The display highlights the philanthropy institution’s six fields of action at local, national and international level in the fields of health, education, social justice, democracy, heritage and international cooperation. Visitors also have the opportunity to vote for their favourite image. Free entrance. 1 September to 17 October, BELvue Museum, Place des Palais 7

The Belgium Cello Society presents the intimate solo recital Jakob Koranyi — Bach and beyond. Performing music spanning three centuries, the acclaimed Swedish cellist explores the intensity of György Ligeti’s Sonata for Solo Cello, the unfolding textures of Donnacha Dennehy’s Unfurling and one of the great landmarks of the repertoire, Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suite No. 3 in C major. 2 September, 19.00-20.00, Rue Guillaume Stocq 31 (Ixelles)

OUTSIDE BRUSSELS

Seek out theatre, concerts, art installations and other amusements in the streets and squares of Bruges during the Reie Festival. All 14 activities have been inspired by the city’s heritage and the theme “Flow” honours the city’s hidden corners along its many waterways. 4-6 September, across Bruges

Fancy a flutter and some equestrian action! The annual Waregem-Koerse race meeting is a great day out with some serious horsepower and an unrivalled atmosphere that is not only for racing fans. The event boasts the Belgian leg of the UAE President’s Cup with a record purse of €250,000. This historic series celebrates the heritage and excellence of pure-bred Arabian horses. Along with the ING Great Steeple-Chase of Flanders, it is a highly anticipated event at the iconic Gaverbeek racetrack - the cradle of Belgian horse racing. 1 September from 12.00, Hippodroom Waregem, Holstraat 97, Waregem (West Flanders)

Take a wander around Aalst, and you’re sure to run into Cirk!, the annual summer circus and street theatre festival. Taking to all the city’s squares, it features 100 performances of various kinds of death-defying acrobatics, eye-popping balancing acts, hilarious cabaret and off-the-wall marching bands. The open-air acts make up the bulk of the festival and are free, those taking place inside require a ticket. 28-30 August, across Aalst

A rural corner of Wallonia-Picardy is transformed into an open-air contemporary art trail in the first edition of the BUTOR Art Biennial. Located in the eight-hectare grounds of Ferme d’Écavée in the village of Molenbaix, it brings together works by Belgian and international artists along a 3–4km route. The walk takes a couple of hours and leads visitors through fields, a chapel, a barn, a pond, a church and a football pitch. Until 4 October, Ferme d’Ecavée, Molenbaix (Hainaut)

Deep in the province of Namur, the Maredsous Sound Festival is a new music event in the Neo-Gothic Benedictine abbey that encompasses spirituality. Aimed at 15-35-year-olds, although all ages are welcome, the line-up features a variety of sounds: electro, pop and contemporary praise music, including Padre Guilherme (pictured). 28-29 August, Maredsous Abbey, Rue de Maredsous 11, Anhée (Namur)

Discover more upcoming events at The Bulletin's events page.

Photos: (main image) courtesy Fiesta Latina; Art Square -2025 - MOESCHAL, BAUDART; Heartwarming stories ©KBF/Associazione CAF ONLUS; Koranyi Jakob ©Anna Lena Ahlström; Courtesy Reie festival; Waregem-Koerse ©Piet Eggermont; BUTOR 2026. Xavier Mary. Oh My Buddha ©Chloé Jacquart