What’s on this week: 6 to 12 November

The Hindu festival of lights is celebrated by Indians the world over, and everyone is invited to the Atomium for the 10th edition of the open-air Brussels Diwali Festival. At the biggest Diwali party in Europe, you can dance to folk and Bollywood music, sample authentic regional dishes and enjoy live music, including a headline DJ set. There’s also plenty to entertain the kids and a firework display lighting up the site each evening at 21.00. Free entrance for children under 12. 7-8 November 12.00-22.00 (Saturday until 23.00), Place de l’Atomium 1

Swap Belgium’s darkening skies for the colour and vibrancy of the Far East.  Amazing Asia is a journey across the region with street food from dozens of cuisines, crafts and design, acrobatics, lion dances and fire shows. There’s also workshops, gaming, anime and pop culture, while on the food front, take your pick from Japanese ramen, Indian curry, Korean snacks, Thai desserts and more. 6-8 November, Tour & Taxis Shed 1, Avenue du Port 86C

Parcours d’Artistes d’Ixelles invites the public to discover some 120 artists in 90 venues across the municipality. Studios, homes, schools, cultural venues and offbeat locations open their doors for the art trail that includes painting, photography, sculpture, performances, dance and music. Among the venues, organised around three hubs: the university district, Flagey and Fernand Cocq, are the École des Arts d’Ixelles, Rhizomes, Créahm, Usquare, the Ateliers Kult XL, the Boondael Chapel and ULB Culture.  6-8 November 11.00-18.00 (Friday 18.00-22.00), multiple locations (Ixelles)

Sous Influence brings together 10 emerging artists in the immersive exhibition space VITRINE. Through painting, photography, textiles, sculpture, and installation, the show poses a central question: are we truly the authors of who we become? The artists approach the subject from vastly different perspectives and experiences, exploring themes such as religion and spirituality, technology, memory, migration, cultural identity, family ties, material culture and the environment. 6 November to 13 December, Avenue Louise 126 (Ixelles)

You can make some fascinating discoveries at the Brussels Art Film Festival, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary with not only screenings in Brussels, but also Mons and Antwerp. On the programme are 13 Belgian film in competition, an international panorama of rare or never previously shown titles and a focus on Lebanon in collaboration with the Beirut Art Festival and CINEMAMED, which presents eight films. The festival opens with Days of Wonder (Fin 2025) by Karin Pennanen (pictured). 10-15 November, Palace, Bozar, Cinemate, AB Salon, Pilar and Iselp

Ancienne Belgique brings to light new and emerging artists in its Fifty Lab Music Festival. Discover artists from Belgium and beyond performing a variety of musical genres over three days in four venues across Brussels. Buy a single-day pass or a three-day pass for access to all concerts in all venues. Pictured: Ethiopian-Egyptian artist Alewya, who blends Afro-electronic rhythms, R&B, and London energy. 11-13 November, across Brussels

Marking the 10th anniversary of the death of Canadian singer, composer and writer Leonard Cohen, Pass Porta invites his friend and biographer Christophe Lebold to talk to Klara presenter and Cohen fan Lies Steppe. Lebold, an expert in American literature, is the author of The Man Who Saw the Angels Fall, an erudite analysis of Cohen’s extensive work at AB Salon. 6 November, 20.00-21.30, Rue des Pierres 11 

The International Study Group (ISG) welcomes VUB neurology and neuroscience professor Dr Sebastiaan Engelborghs to discuss Dementia is Not a Normal Process of Aging. “One in five people will receive the diagnosis of dementia at some point in their lives. By 2070, this figure is expected to double again as we continue to live longer.”  But Engelborghs and journalist Barbara Ceuleers offer hope in their book Vergeet dementie (Forget Dementia). Non-members welcome for a fee of €15 at the door. 9 November 10.30,  Chateau Malou, Allée Pierre Levie 2 (Woluwe-Saint-Lambert)

Meet a German author/English book translator at the next Polyklutz German event (in English). It’s an opportunity to recount a German-related anecdote, favourite word, book or film, as well as  participate in a Q&A with EU official Dominique Elsaesser about his books. These are comic, romantic, Brussels-based crime stories set in the EU institutions. Register by 10 November by email:  JulianAHale@gmail.com.  11 November, 19.00-20.30, Rue Gray 4A  (Etterbeek)

Get tix now Popular Brussels festival Balkan Trafik! returns after a one year hiatus - taking over the capital's landmark the Bourse for its 20th edition. The music and arts festival fully embraces diversity by encompassing music, original artistic creations, dance, fashion, social gatherings and regional gastronomy. The line-up spans a wide spectrum of genres from Gypsy brass music, electronic beats and Unesco-recognised ancient polyphonic singing to Gypsy punk, Greek hip-hop and Gypsy jazz. Festival tickets for each day, which include six concerts, are priced at €35. 19-21 November, Place de la Bourse

OUTSIDE BRUSSELS

An autumn staple, the prestigious Antica Namur Fine Art Fair  is a resplendent cabinet of curiosities. Antique furniture, rarified objects, silverware, jewellery and ancient, modern and contemporary art fill this 49th edition, where some 115 Belgian and international exhibitors have been selected for the quality of their wares. “They will showcase their finest pieces within an inspiring setting that reflects the unique world of each gallery. Every 'showcase' invites discovery, exchange, and wonder, creating a journey defined by diversity, excellence, and passion,” says director Diane Kervyn. Pictured: Pierre Alechinsky, Autour de chute (Claeys Gallery). 7-15 November, Namur Expo, Avenue Sergent Vrithoff 2, Namur

Comedy films from Belgium and abroad are showcased in the Festival International du Film de Comédie de Liège (FIFCL). Stars of francophone cinema and entertainment descend on the Walloon city for the 11th edition, including Jean Dujardin, Bernard Campan, Lambert Wilson and Agnès Jaoui. The only festival dedicated to international comedies screens Belgian and world premieres, alongside competitions, shorts, special events, talks, concerts and themed evenings. The festival closes with Demain je tombe amoureux by Martin Provost (pictured above). 10-14 November, Palais des Congrès de Liège, Esplanade de l’Europe 2 & other locations, Liège

World-renowned Belarus-born sculptor and artist Ossip Zadkine (1888-1967), whose works have graced famous buildings and squares all over Europe, would not have enjoyed his success without the contribution of ‘le plat pays’. That is the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KSMKA)’s message in its new exhibition, Ossip Zadkine and Belgium, which features more than 100 sculptures, works on paper and archive documents including museum catalogues, photographs and letters that for the first time highlight the role Belgium played in the career of this visionary artist. Until 18 April, Leopold de Waelplaats 1, Antwerp

The 60th edition of the Fêtes de la Saint-Martin is staged every weekend in November in the Walloon Brabant village Tourinnes-la-Grosse and its surroundings. The highlight of the programme includes a contemporary art trail focused on street art, as well as an open-studio tour for artists, concerts and a large-scale collective performance. International artists take over streets and farms, while more than 290 artists exhibit their work across 115 locations. Rooted in local history, the event’s community of volunteers, enthusiasts and professionals are all united by a shared conviction: that art belongs to everyone. 8-29 November, multiple locations, Tourinnes-la-Grosse

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

Photos: (main image) courtesy Brussels Diwali Festival; Sous Influence: ©Fanch Le Bos Box C101; Balkan Trafil! 2024; ©Claeys Alechinsky Autour de chute, Antica Namur 26; Demain je tombe amoureux by Martin Provost ©Christine Tamalet; ©SABAM Belgium 2026, Ossip Zadkine, Kaïn en Abel, Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen - Collectie Vlaamse Gemeenschap