What’s on this week: 29 August to 4 September

As Molenbeek enters the final stretch of its bid for the 2030 European Capital of Culture crown, the municipality stages the second edition of its cultural event MolenFest. Dance, circus, music, theatre, debates, films and festivities of all kinds fill streets, parks, and squares. Dedicated to solidarity and generosity (Sadaka!), the celebration is designed to be an ode to diversity, culture, and collaboration. Festivities kick off on Wednesday and include a participatory dance performance Few Days Before Tomorrow by choreographer Serge Aimé Coulibaly in the town square at 19.00. 3-7 September, multiple locations (Molenbeek-Saint-Jean)

The summer opening of the Pavilion of Human Passions in Cinquantenaire Park comes to a close with a one-day exhibition on Saturday. Belgian contemporary artist Édith Dekyndt presents the installation One Thousand and One Nights (2016): “an invitation to contemplate the invisible and to sense what remains suspended” within the exceptional setting of a Horta building containing a monumental marble relief by sculptor Jef Lambeaux. Free entrance; no reservation. 30 August, 10.00-18.00, Rue de la Loi entrance, Cinquantenaire Park (Etterbeek)

Immerse yourself in the spellbinding world of Symbolist art at the new exhibition Echoes of Dreams staged at the Art Nouveau masterpiece Maison Hannon. Showcasing emblematic Belgian and French artists who played a key role in advancing the influential movement, it features some 80 works with seven key pieces on public display for the first time. Paintings, drawing, sculpture, posters and objects depict how a generation of radical artists turned their backs on Realism and Impressionism to explore new forms of expressing emotions and ideas, including esoteric, spiritual and subjective experiences. Pictured: Jean Delville’s L’Ange des Splendeurs. 29 August to 19 April, Avenue de la Jonction 1 (Saint-Gilles)

City residents can get better acquainted with creatures of the night during a series of activities for all ages at the European Night of Bats on Saturday. The awareness-raising event in the green setting of the former Rouge-Cloître abbey is run by Brussels Environment in collaboration with Natagora, a nature conservation organisation in Brussels and Wallonia. Stands, activities, guided walks, a theatre show (without dialogue), screenings and nocturnal walks are all on the agenda for this 28th edition. 30 August 14.00-22.10, Rue du Rouge-Cloître (Auderghem)

Cards, dice, tokens and boards of all sizes come out to play at the Brussels Games Festival. The annual event dedicated to board games caters to all ages and includes a market where you can pick up new and used games. The 10th edition also feaetures hundreds of free-to-play games, role-playing, crazy animations, a ProtoZone to discover the games of tomorrow, tournaments, Trading Card Games (TCG), two late-night game sessions (until 3.00), and more. Although there is a small entry fee, this event is great fun and a convivial get-together for all board games lovers. 29-31 August, The Egg, Rue Bara 175 (Anderlecht)

Wrapping up the city’s summer season in style, Forest Sounds promises a special blend of music and artistic activities. The 9th edition of the festival stages concerts, DJ sets and performances, all in an abbey setting. Food and drink are also available. Tickets from €5 (for over 15s) on a ‘fair price’ basis. 29 August 18.00-midnight; 30 August 14.00-midnight, Abbaye de Forest  

Encompassing not one but five alfresco live clubbing scenes, Brussels Open Air Festival aims to reflect the diversity of nightlife and music in the capital. It is staged in Vaux Hall, Place d’Espagne, Place de Brouckère, Place Poelaert and the Congress Column, with each location offering a different programme. Check out the theme and line-up for each one before choosing your venue for partying this Saturday night! Tickets necessary. 31 August from 14.00, multiple locations

The city of Brussels is determined to end the summer on a high note with Color Bang – Festival of Colours brightening up Cinquanentaire Park this weekend. Dance away to DJ sounds and explore a palette of various colour activities. Food stalls are set up to keep you fuelled. Free entrance. 30-31 August 11.00-20.00, Cinquantenaire Park (Etterbeek)

Art Deco style Armand Steurs Square is the setting for The Art Square, an annual exhibition of monumental sculptures. Launched in 1993, this year’s edition presents some 30 works, including several sculptures by modernist Belgian artist Jacque Moeschal. The green haven in the heart of the city embodies urban landscaping in the interwar period and is home to works by several artists, including Julien Dillens and Guillaume Charlier. 30 August to 29 September 9.00-17.00, Armand Steurs Square (Saint-Josse)

The contemporary art season is officially underway with a raft of artistic initiatives opening in the capital. RendezVous - Brussels Art Week makes a welcome return, following an inaugural edition last year, with openings, performances and get-togethers in galleries, art institutions and studios across the city. Guided tours also available in Abbaye, Châtelain, Volxem, Sablon and Downtown areas (in Fr/NL). 4-7 September, multiple locations

Ten contemporary artists have been selected for this year’s ArtContest at the Botanique exhibition space. The annual event, now in its 21st edition, serves as a platform for emerging francophone artists. Previous winners have gone on to exhibit in the collections of various institutions such as the National Bank of Brussels, the M Leuven and Mac's in Grand Hornu. A jury will select three winners from the finalists here on display. Pictured: Unplanned Parrothood by 2024 laureat Siemen Van Gaubergen. 4-28 September, Rue Royale 236 (Saint-Josse)

OUTSIDE BRUSSELS

Villers Abbey is transformed into a choral festival in the traditional end-of-summer event Nuits des Choeurs. Six different choirs, each with a distinctive style and from countries including Scotland, Bulgaria and Ukraine, perform in various atmospheric nooks and crannies of the ruins of the Cistercian abbey. The evening shows are brought to a close with a spectacular finale as all of the Belgian and international ensembles take to the stage before a firework display lights up the skies above the heritage site. Booking necessary. 29-30 August, Rue de l’Abbaye 55, Villers-la-Ville (Walloon Brabant)

Fancy a flutter and some equestrian action! The annual Waregem-Koerse race meeting is a great day out with some serious horsepower and an unrivalled atmosphere that is not only for racing fans. This year, the eventt boasts the Belgian leg of the UAE President’s Cup with a record purse of €200,000. This historic series celebrates the heritage and excellence of pure-bred Arabian horses. Along with the ING Great Steeple-Chase of Flanders, it is a highly anticipated event at the iconic Gaverbeek racetrack - the cradle of Belgian horse racing. 2 September from 12.00, Hippodroom Waregem, Holstraat 97, Waregem (West Flanders)

Now in its 13th year, L'Intime festival in Namur has firmly established itself on the Walloon capital’s literature and arts scene. This year, its scope extends to dance with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s new work Brel a highlight of the programme, while the choreographer and Laure Adler also sit down to talk about their book Quand elle danse. Exhibitions feature, including late US street photographer Vivian Meier at Le Delta cultural centre. Naturally, the francophone event is also filled with performances and readings by contemporary literary figures. There’s plenty of opportunities for the public to meet and chat with writers; the conviviality of the event is one of its notable features. Until 31 August, Théâtre Royal, Galérie du Beffroi, Le Delta, Namur

Take a wander around Aalst, and you’re sure to run into Cirk!, the annual summer circus and street theatre festival. Taking to all the city’s squares, it features 100 performances of various kinds of death-defying acrobatics, eye-popping balancing acts, hilarious cabaret and off-the-wall marching bands. The open-air acts make up the bulk of the festival and are free, those taking place inside require a ticket. 29-31 August, across Aalst

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

Photos: (main image) ©Veerle Vercauteren/Kanal-Centre Pompidou; ©Édith Dekynd; Jean Delville’s L’Ange des Splendeurs 1893 ©J Geleyns; Chauves-souris Murin de Bechtein (photo Rollin Verlinde); Art Contest ©Unplanned Parrothood, Siemen Van Gaubergen - Lauréat 2024