Another warm and sunny weekend is on the cards, meaning most people's calendars are likely to be filled with park meet-ups, barbecues and enjoying a drink in the sun.
However, for those still looking for inspiration or evening activities, there are still plenty of events going on in the Belgian capital. Find our favourites below.
Art, music and culture
Ndima, Théâtre Molière, Friday 12 April
The Ndima ensemble immerses its audience in the depths of the equatorial forest, which is reflected in its name meaning 'the forest' in the local Aka language.
Founded in 2003 in Kombola, in the north of the Republic of Congo, the group travels abroad to share the Aka way of life – intrinsically linked to the forest they inhabit and want to preserve in the face of farmers and loggers who pose a threat to their home.
Credit: visit.brussels
This unique concert brings together Aka singers and dancers who showcase polyphonic songs, advanced vocal techniques for which they are especially renowned, complex drummed rhythmic formulas and hauntingly melodic instruments such as the mondoumein harp and the mbela musical bow, all traditions that are deeply rooted in their heritage.
Find more information here.
Museum of Infinite Realities (MOIR), city centre, opens on 13 April
The MOIR describes itself as the future of entertainment; a space where the audience becomes the hero of their visit by combining narrative entertainment, the use of cutting-edge technologies and a quest for personal development supported by scientific studies.
Credit: Museum of Infinite Realities (MOIR)
From holographic 5D technology and interactive motion cameras to user-activated portals and personalised sound, the museum encourages visitors to forge their own path. MOIR is permanent, but the experiences developed within it will change over time.
Find more information here.
Camera, lights, action
Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF), Brussels Expo, until 21 April
Every year, this iconic international film festival draws more than 50,000 visitors to its events, ranging from screenings of more than 100 shorts and feature films to masterclasses held by prestigious guests and lively debates.
Credit: BIFFF
For the 42nd edition of the event, which brands itself as an open-minded genre film festival offering thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, black comedy, action films and more, the programme once again includes the famous vampire ball and the unmissable make-up competition.
Find more information here.
KINOLATINO, various locations in Belgium, until Saturday 20 April
April is evidently the month for film festivals in the capital, and KINOLATINO is definitely worth a mention. The second edition of the Latin American Film Festival, held in Brussels, Liège, Antwerp, Namur and Nivelles, will screen 14 feature films and 13 fiction shorts, documentaries and animated films.
Credit: KINOLATINO
The opening ceremony will take place on Friday 12 April at Cinema Palace with the screening of 'Los Colonos' ('The Settlers'). This is a modern arthouse western about an underexposed colonial period in Chile's history, telling the tale of extermination of the indigenous population in Patagonia, in the border region between Chile and Argentina, by a landowner.
Find more information here.
Further afield
Hallerbos Hyacinth Festival, Halle, first weekend
Saturday marks the first day of the Hyacinth Festival in the Hallerbos, which is located some 20 km to the south of Brussels and is famed for the purplish-blue carpets that appear on the forest floors this time every year, created by flowering hyacinths or bluebells.
The Hallerbos in Halle. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
The forest rangers confirmed on Wednesday that the atmospheric, fairytale season is in full swing in the forest and that visitors should make full use of the coming sunny days to visit and enjoy the exceptional spring beauty.
Find more information here.
Mid-week activities
Nocturnes, various locations in Brussels, every Thursday evening until 23 May
Museums in Brussels will once again open for the highly-anticipated Nocturnes event. Every Thursday from 11 April to 23 May, a total of 42 museums will open to the public at night.
KANAL-Centre Pompidou during Brussels Museums Nocturnes in 2018. Credit: Veerle Vercauteren / Brussels Museums Nocturnes
In addition to the exhibitions and permanent collections, people can combine visits to several places and guided walks will be offered between museums, making it an ideal occasion to explore Brussels and its cultural offerings.
Find more information here.
