Ring in the spring

April come she will, as Paul Simon wrote, and so she has. Which means spring is upon us – time for school holidays and greening trees, chocolate eggs and ducklings in the parks. With winter on its way out, many of us will feel a surge of energy, a desire to emerge from out homes and get out of doors. Luckily, the month of April has plenty of events lined up to satiate our need for action. Here are a few ways to cheer in the spring!

Go on the hunt

This year, April starts off with a visit from the Easter bunny, with the Christian holiday of Easter landing on Sunday and Monday, April 5th and 6th. Monday is a national holiday, so there will be lots of Easter events around the city. However, no Easter tradition is more time-honoured than the Easter egg hunt. If you missed Sunday’s massive Easter egg hunt, in which chocolate-hungry participants sought after 25,000 hidden in the centre of Brussels, there are plenty of opportunities to still play hide and seek with some chocolate eggs.

Most Brussels communes will have some fun Easter event going on this weekend, including egg hunts and visits from the Easter Bunny. For example, on Easter Sunday itself, Parc de Wolvendael in Uccle will have an egg hunt along with other kid-focused activities like crafts and face-painting. The BELvue Museum will once again hold its yearly Great Easter Egg Hunt on April 5th and 6th.  More than just a free-for-all gathering of chocolate eggs, BELvue steps up the game by planting clues that will lead you to the an enormous egg bounty.

As a last option, children’s theme park Bruparck also is holding an egg hunt on a massive scale. Over the same two days, some 20,000 eggs and other chocolates will be hidden in the park for eager hunters to find. Unfortunately, registration is required and the deadline was on 30 March, but it still might be worth a call to see if there are any cancellations.

Flower market of Tournai

Ideal for a day trip, if you’re thinking of extending your long Easter weekend, on Friday, 3 April, Tournai will hold its annual flower market (pictured), a tradition that dates back to 1825. Beginning at 6 a.m., over one hundred florists will be selling their bright, cheerful wares in one of Belgium’s most colourful markets. There, you’ll also find local and artisanal delicacies as well as musical performances.

Head to the circus

Acrobatics for all ages! Mid-month, look for Hopla!, Brussels’ very own festival celebrating the circus arts, taking play April 13th to the 19th around Brussels city centre. In its eighth edition, Hopla! puts a wide array of local circus and acrobat talents on display for the Brussels public. Family friendly and filled with impressive feats, you won’t want to miss the chance to catch one of these spectacular acts.

Visit the Royal Greenhouses

If you can’t make Tournai’s Easter flower market, later on in the month in Brussels there will be plenty of floral arrangements to please the eye. Every year around this time, the Royal Greenhouses in Laeken open their doors to the public. Designed by architect Alphonse Balat, mentor to Victor Horta, these gorgeous structures are filled with breathtaking flora, painstakingly collected and cared for from all over the world. This year, you can see the gardens from 17 April till 8 May for only €2.50.

Photo courtesy Office du Tourisme Tournai