Culture beat – December 26

 For a cultural fix and reminder of the country’s home-grown talent, take advantage of Belgian Bonanza, a New Year promotion by Bozar that showcases the best of Belgian film, music and theatre. The offer (€89) provides nine concerts (January 5 to February 13), theatre productions, entrance to the Michaël Borremans exhibition As sweet as it gets and the BE Film Festival that starts today (Thursday). The screenings at Bozar and Cinematek are a chance to view cinema releases of 2013 with a retrospective of the best Belgian films of the year. Tonight there is a preview of Vincent Lanoo’s latest film Les âmes de papier, a bittersweet tale set in  wintery Paris. Plus there’s a film concert, master class and talks with actors and directors. On the music front, there are concerts by the National Orchestra of Belgium, deFilharmonie, Brussels Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Liège and Brussels Jazz Orchestra. Belgian violinist Lorenzo Gatto is among the soloists, along with fellow Queen Elisabeth laureat Ray Chen. Onstage is the one of the theatre season’s highlight Le Signal de Promeneur, a bilingual production by Le Raoul Collectif.

Theatre for all the family kicks off today in the annual Festival Noël au Théâtre at venues across the capital, and runs until December 30. Puppet, shadow, object theatre and other entertainment for little ones aged from 18 months. In French or without dialogue.

If the rain stays away, join the crowds for the city’s annual firework display, this year at Mont des Arts. A DJ entertains from 22.00 before the Iris Fireworks lights up the skies. The show is also visible from Place Royale and Place de l’Albertine, while you can join in the countdown to 2014 in the Grand‘Place. Leave your car at home and take advantage of a later service on metro, trams and buses. From 2.00 and until 5.00 the Noctis bus provides the only service.

If you’re in the mood to party take your pick from a  glut of festive gatherings. The Wood in Bois de la Cambre has Keinemusik Showcase/&Me/David Mayer/Franco y Gael (entrance €10). If techno is your thing, Fuse celebrates in typical style with a line-up of Technasia, Joseph Capriati and Oskar Offerman, among others. Returning for a second New Year funk session is La Fête at Café Bota. It kicks off with a happy hour at 22.30 and from midnight a slew of DJs provide non-stop beats (pre-sale €15, on the door €20). For free music from the 1980s and 90s head to the Lava Café which is open until the wee hours. And if you fancy a more sophisticated setting and excuse to dust off the glad rags, Radio Modern is hosting the Bal Royale in the sumptuous Concert Noble. Promising grandeur and decadence, it has King B, Black Elvis, Peggy Lee Cooper, Excellences Nasty Bartender and DJ Sofie L-Fêtes vs K-Rise (pre-sale €20, on the door €30). Tickets from http://www.sherpa.be/frBE/Musique/Dance/Bal-Royale/