What’s on this week: 20 to 26 June

Fete de la Musique celebrates the solstice with dozens of musical concerts and DJ sets across Brussels and Wallonia. Since 1985, the French-community festival has promoted its artists and musicians in indoor and outdoor venues in each of its provinces. Highlights in the capital include the main festival concert hub in Cinquantenaire park (20-21 June) and the Made in Bxl Festival (in the Sablon) with its indie rock programme on Sunday from 15.00. Until 22 June, multiple locations in Brussels and Wallonia

 
Lion Summer Fest is a new free multidisciplinary and family-friendly festival that is staged in Molenbeek alongside the Fête des la Musique activities. It is an opportunity to meet local artists in residence at the LionCity site; a temporary urban project on the site of a former Delhaize supermarket. Concerts, workshops, an exhibition, video clip screenings, a summer market and circus and parkour activities, as well as plenty of entertainment for kids are all on the menu. The eating options come courtesy of Groot Eiland and Freddy Met Curry. 20-22 June, Rue Osseghem 53 (Molenbeek-Saint-Jean)

Downtown Brussels is transformed into cinema city as the eighth edition of the Brussels International Film Festival (BRIFF) gets underway. Its national competition shows off Belgian movies, including festival opener Les Tourmentés by Lucas Belvaux Bel/Fr 2025). Meanwhile, the international counterpart highlights films from around the world. A focus on Ukraine offer a Belgian première of The Eukrainian, a new documentary on deputy prime minister Olha Stefanishyna’s leadership of her country’s bid for EU membership. Catch the festival vibes in a big top ‘village’ in Place De Brouckère. 20-28 June, multiple cinemas

Reinventing industrial wastelands as spaces to listen, dream and reinvent... This is the ambitious if imaginative premise of the free arts festival Border Buda. Entitled The Woman Who Thought She Was a Planet, this second edition brings together artists, architects, writers, researchers and local residents. Visitors are free to wander between four emblematic locations: the former Brussels Foundries, a vacant lot in the historic heart of Buda, the Buda BXL event space and the local café The Corner. The programme includes a permanent exhibition, concerts, performances, film screenings and live local radio broadcasts. 20-22 June Chaussée de Buda 96 (Haren)

Brussels’ big bike event, the BXL tour sees racers set off from Place de Palais and cycle to the Atomium where a festival village awaits. The tour promotes mobility and inclusivity with various racing categories: Master Cyclo 40km for more experienced cyclists; Cyclo 40km race, Ride 32km race; and Paracycling 40km race for wheelchair racers. The On the Road training programme focuses on women cyclists. The event continues with concerts, bicycle demonstrations and more, plus snacks and refreshments. Motorists in the capital should note that some major roads will be closed between 7.00 and 13.00. 22 June 9.00-18.00, start: Place des Palais; finish Atomium (Laeken)

La Guinguette des Marolles returns to Place du Jeu de Balle for some outdoor summer fun every Thursday evening. On the diverse programme are free concerts that incorporate all genres of music. Kicking off the season is the Maëlle danse troupe, which will be sharing its love of oriental dance through shows and initiations. Naturally, refreshments are served alongside the entertainment. 26 June to 28 August, Thursdays 18.30-20.30, Place du Jeu de Balle

Brussels’ summer roller parade kicks off on Friday evening, and the fun also rolls into other cities around the country, including Hasselt, Leuven, Antwerp, Charleroi and Namur. The free parades, accompanied by music, are for rollerblades, bikes, longboards, skateboard and even electric bikes. Beginner and advanced riders welcome from age 10. Don't forget safety gear and water! Check the website for updates in case of bad weather. 20 June to 12 September, Friday 20.00, Place Poelaert

A Dream of Peace, The Untold Story of the Korean Provisional Government is an exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation. A modern dynamic and interactive scenography recounts its often-overlooked journey to freedom From the establishment of the provisional government in 1919 in Shanghai to Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule  in 1945, historical archives, photos and videos and sound installation honour their efforts and the Europeans who supported them. Until 5 September, Rue de la Régence 4

Short film Cat Sitter by Ermeson Viera Gondin  is screening at PianoFabriek on Saturday evening. The 14-Minute dialogue-free film is set in Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles and Schaerbeek. Exploring solitude, memory and the subtle connections of humans and animals in a contemporary urban setting, it won the Audience Choice Award at the recent Lift-Off Sessions (UK). A Q&A session follows the avant-premiere. 21 June 19.00, Rue du Fort 35

The Slow Food movement launches the first edition of Terra Madre Europe in the Belgian capital. Under the banner ‘Food for Change’, the conference brings together European farmers, food artisans, chefs, policymakers and activists for talks, interactive workshops and communal meals. 22-24 June, multiple locations

The annual classical music celebration Les Festivals de Wallonie encompasses 150 concerts and shows across the region under the banner ‘Curiosités en musique’. The umbrella festival for seven different celebrations kicks off with the Festival Musiq3 Brussels at Flagey, which includes concerts by Queen Elisabeth Competition 2025 winners and jazz and world music artists (pictured: Anne Niepold with Quatuor Alfama). 26 June to 26 October, multiple venues in Brussels and Wallonia

Book now: Charity concert EU Lawyers for Ukraine II. Dmytro Udovychenko (pictured), winner of the 2024 Queen Elisabeth Violin Competition, performs with the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of David Navarro-Turres. The event is raising funds for medical and childcare projects in Ukraine; an initiative that unites the EU legal and economic communities of Brussels. 2 July 20.00, NOVUM (ex-Théâtre Saint-Michel), Rue Père Devroye 2 (Etterbeek)

OUTSIDE BRUSSELS

Skip breakfast to get the most out of Barrio Cantina, a food truck festival in the Flemish city of Kortrijk. Some 40 different cuisines from around the world gather to fill your bellies, while the kids take part in all kinds of activities. DJs spin until after dark, when a party atmosphere takes over. 20-22 June, Weide, Kortrijk

The British community – and friends – gathers for its annual summer celebration and charity fundraiser at the Royal Brussels Cricket Club. The seventh edition of the bucolic garden party is organised by the Brussels British Community Association. While a ‘village green’ cricket plays in the background, refreshments include a BBQ, courtesy of Stonemanor, Tim’s Pimm’s and mocktails bar, cream teas and strawberries and cream. Traditional children’s game will keep the youngsters amused. 22 June 12.00-18.00, Chemin des Messes 39, Lasne-Ohain

The magnificent Rops Museum in the city centre of Namur hosts an exhibition dedicated to Belgian realist artist Constantin Meunier (1831-1905. La genèse d’une image is a tribute to the painter and sculptor who was one of Belgium’s most important artists to depict the life of workers in the 19th century. The exhibition focuses on his print work via engravings, drawings, paintings and sculpture. A space is also devoted to his illustrations. Until 7 September, Rue Fumal 12, Namur

The Tim Van Laere Gallery presents the exhibition No Denial, No Explanation by renowned Belgian contemporary artist Dirk Braekman. The show is an invitation by the artist to slow down and pay attention to the world around us. Known for his monochrome and austere imagery, Braekman represented Belgium at the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017. Until 5 July, Jos Smolderenstraat 50, Antwerp

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

Photos: (main image) Fête de la Musique ©Bernard Babette; courtesy BRIFF; ©Quatuor Alfama ©J Pohl; courtesy Roller Parade Facebook page; Constant Meunier, Musée Rops, Namur; ©Tim Van Laere Gallery/Dirk Braeckman