Culture beat: 12 June

Listen to some intriguing flute playing by Breton and Nigerian musicians at Muziekpublique tonight (Friday). The group Serendou consists of two flautists (Yacouba Moumouni and Jean-Luc Thomas), accompanied by percussionist Boubacar Souleymane. We are giving away two tickets to the concert on our Facebook page.

For further folk/world sounds, join the Tradfest celebrations of Irish music. The free festival, organised by the Embassy of Ireland,  runs until 14 June with live concerts at various Irish pubs in the city.

In June, city dwellers take to the skies, either in Les Jardins Suspendus (outdoor aperitif on top floor of parking 58) or in Beursschouwburg’s rooftop festival Out Loud! Until 28 June there are free concerts, films, lunchtime picnics and evening aperitifs. For Friday and Saturday evening concerts (with live dancing) it’s recommended you grab a space early!

Organic eating is the focus of Brussels Food Festival in Auderghem on Saturday, between 10.00 and 18.00. Find seasonal produce from artisan growers, plus workshops, tastings and a programme of activities for all ages.

There’s outdoor fun for all the family in Forest Park on Sunday in SuperMouche/SuperVlieg from 10.00 to 19.00. The fourth annual children’s festival features more than 60 free performances and workshops.

Brussels Environment is organising a free conference on biodiversity and concert at the new Tour & Taxis park on Thursday, 18 June. The conference is at 12.30-14.00 and the concert, Musiques au Jardin, at 17.30-19.00, combines art, music and literature.

Outside Brussels

I can hardly round off Culture beat without a nod to the world event staged on our doorstep next week, the 200th anniversary of the battle of Waterloo. For Belgians, it may have been just another skirmish fought on itsr soil, but for many foreigners, the historic event still resonates today. Read all about it on Bulletin.be

One little-known historical fact about Waterloo  is that the first recorded game of cricket in Belgium was played on the eve of the battle by officers of the guards, in the presence of the Duke of Wellington. The Royal Brussels Cricket Club, situated next to the battlefield, is celebrating by re-enacting the match on Thursday 18 June. It has invited the Guards Cricket Club and MCC  to recreate the original game, to be played at 15.00, according to the cricket rules of 1800. It will be watched by ambassadors from cricket-playing nations plus Belgian politicians and is open to the public.