What’s on this week: 13 to 19 February

Bright Brussels Festival once again brings some welcome mid-winter warmth to the European capital. More than 20 original art installations by artists from Belgium and abroad spotlight iconic locations in the city. The 6km light trail guides visitors from Brussels park to the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie, passing by numerous heritage sites. The 10th edition also includes a Bright Brussels Market in Place Royale, kids zone and cafe, additional activities and a culinary programme in collaboration with Bright Brussels Food. 12-15 February, city-centre

Brussels’ landmark Atomium celebrates the 20th anniversary of its reopening following major renovation. “Brighter than ever since 2006” is the title of a year-long programme combining digital art installations, a new podcast and some 20 special activities at the 1958 World Expo site. Three new digital art installations are unveiled to the public on 14 February, offering immersive experiences in dialogue with the iconic architecture. From 14 February, Place de l’Atomium (Laeken)

East meets West in Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen’s first exhibition in Belgium at Bozar.  P for Power is a new work by the leading contemporary multimedia artist: a video installation in which he conducts a conversation with an AI chatbot about the nature of power. It is accompanied by two other installations: Time Pieces and T for Time, that reveal the artist’s fascination for exploring history, cultural identity and mythology. This exhibition offers an insight into Tzu Nyen’s unparallelled ability to encapsulate philosophical, geo-political and cultural ideas in the highly-accessible medium of video installations. Until 14 June, Rue Ravenstein 23

Echoing its flagship exhibition Fire, Villa Empain presents two large-scale wall installations by Ahmed Mater, one of the most significant artistic voices in the Middle East. Hurriya (Freedom) and Salam (Peace) are part of the Guncaps series; each work is composed of thousands of small red toy gun caps, assembled to form words in Arabic. These objects were once ubiquitous across Saudi Arabia in the late 20th century and Mater transforms the objects of childhood play into a reflection on freedom, peace and cultural exchange. Until 1 March, Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 67 (Ixelles)

Explore Haute Nuit, a thematic group exhibition at ISELP that brings together works rooted in darkness to reveal emerging light and complex human experiences. The show features photography, sculpture and prints by artists including Tatiana Bohm, Julien Celdran, Hanane El Farissi, Pierre Liebaert, Mouhcine Rahaoui and Haleh Zahedi, whose work navigates a variety of themes from memory to social realities and the tension between hope and obscurity. Alongside the show, a programme of reflections and workshops investigates the symbolic and lived dimensions of night in contemporary life. Guided visits and creative sessions also available. 13 February to 27 June, ISELP, Boulevard de Waterloo 31

Round off your Valentine weekend in style with the 17th anniversary edition of the Love Bugs Parade. Autoworld’s annual event gathers more than 250 Volkswagen Beetles  – immortalised in the famous film Herbie the Love Bug –under the emblematic Cinquantenaire arch. They then head out onto the road in a revving, beeping show of Bug pride, driving en masse through the streets to the delight of spectators: destination the castle of Beersel. As it coincides with carnival weekend, participants and visitors alike, adults and children, are invited to come dressed as a Beetle. Face painting from 10.00 to 14.00.  15 February, cars on show from 10.00, parade starts at 14.00, Esplanade Cinquantenaire park (Etterbeek)

OUTSIDE BRUSSELS

Belgium’s most illustrious carnival tradition Binche also enjoys Unesco recognition. The pinnacle of the three-day party in the walled medieval town is Tuesday’s parade of more than 900 Gilles, a select brotherhood of men dressed in distinctive heralded costumes and painted wax masks (pictured). These are later swapped for rare ostrich-plumed headgear when they pelt onlookers with oranges. This ritual is preceded by a firework display on Monday evening, while Sunday’s activities centre on the Gilles, who show off their elaborate costumes in a noisy parade around town. 15-17 February, Binche town centre (Hainaut)

Aalst Carnival  has Unesco heritage recognition while also courting controversy for its infamous bad taste: satirical depictions of politicians, public figures and communties, along with lewd and raunchy humour. The carnival stages the biggest parade of floats in the country on the Sunday, which starts in Statieplein and travels to the Grote Markt. Festivities continue on Monday with an abbreviated parade and the appearance of the Gilles of Aalst – men in distinctive historical costumes who perform age-old rituals to ward off evil and welcome spring. On Tuesday, the voil jeanetten, or dirty Jeannettes – men in weirdly accessorised women’s dress – take to the streets. 15-17 February, Aalst town centre (Flemish Brabant)

Vilvoorde stages extensive carnival celebrations, inlcuding a fairground in Rooseveltlaan (Franklin), between Nowélei (Jean Baptiste) and Guldenschaapstraat. A highlight is its famous light parade on Shrove Tuesday (17 Feb), which kicks off at 19.30. On 18 February, it's family day at the fair, where children can win a ticket for free rides by throwing a bear. 14-22 February, Vilvoorde city centre (Flemish Brabant)

Known as the Cwarmê in local Walloon dialect, the four-day party at Malmedy is replete with cross-dressing and satiric antics. One of the oldest carnival traditions in Belgium, it starts on Saturday with the arrival of the Grosse Police, some 1,500 transvestites representing the 15 traditional masks of the Cwarmê who perform the dance of the Haguete and the Harlequins. On Shrove Tuesday all the carnival societies take to the streets and the event comes to a close with the burning of the Haguète. 14-17 February, Malmedy town centre (Liège province)

Carnival celebrations at the seaside resort Knokke-Heist begin with a mass to fishermen lost at seas and continue with the selection of the carnival prince(ess) (pictured) followed by a children’s ball, also in Sfeerplein De Bolle. The highlights are a big parade on Sunday and an illuminated evening parade on Tuesday. On Monday it’s Sprotjes Day and an opportunity to sample a variety of fish snacks and sprats, a local delicacy. Meanwhile, a masked football match on Tuesday draws the crowds before the traditional burning of effigies, an illuminated procession and partying throughout the town. 14-17 February, across Knokke-Heist

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

Photos: (main image) Bright Brussels Festival 2025 ©visitbrussels; P for Power Courtesy of Bozar / Centre for Fine Arts Brussels and the Artist; Guncaps by Ahmed Mater; Haute Nuit, Nuit tourmentee fusain sur papier; Love Bugs Parade courtesy Autoworld; courtesy Binche carnival; Aalst Carnaval Voil Jeanettenstoet ©Tim Delmoitie