If you venture down to Boulevard du Midi, Brussels' summer lull is punctuated with upbeat music, gleeful children and whirring rides. As the 143rd edition of the Foire du Midi comes to a close, how have the people running the show fared?
On the scene since 1880, the Foire du Midi is Belgium's largest fairground attraction gracing the Boulevard du Midi from 13 July to 18 August every year. There are around 100 families operating 123 attractions, which occupy a 1.6-kilometre-long stretch. Forains (stallholders) are proud of their trade and their enthusiasm only adds to the funfair's jovial atmosphere.
"It's going really well this year. We are delighted with the weather," Tabata (28) at Air Max (a dizzying ride that spins on two axes) told The Brussels Times. "There aren't as many people as last year but I'm just happy it isn't raining."
The fair saw record-breaking attendance last year with over one million visitors – a 62% increase since 2022. This year, forains have noticed a definite decline in attendance and a hesitation among the public to spend big on rides, games and snacks.
"People are watching their wallets closely," said Andrei (56) at the Labyrinthe des Glaces, a mirrored maze. "They are more careful with their money this year. The cost of everything is going up but salaries are staying the same." He estimates that a family of four will spend between €100 and €200 if they want to enjoy themselves on a day out.
Credit: The Brussels Times
'Costs more than a house'
The business is no less costly for those on the other side. Several forains commented on the rising prices of permits and electricity costs, not to mention the "huge investment" in the rides themselves. "It costs more than a house," one of them told The Brussels Times with a laugh.
"On the whole things are fine," Johan Hart of the Professional Union of Brussels Stallholders told The Brussels Times. "It is not a disaster but there has been a downturn nonetheless."
The majority of funfair employees are content with security measures and report a smooth experience this summer. There has been a police booth on site as well as frequent patrols in the area.
Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
One forain complained that undocumented migrants were creating problems and starting fights on the street. Samusocial, a homeless support organisation on Boulevard du Midi, commented that it had arranged meetings with the municipality ahead of the Foire to ensure that robust security measures were in place.
"Safety on the Boulevard has been a problem for many months due to the increase in the number of rough sleepers and drug trafficking," the organisation stated. "This is a problem that goes far beyond Samusocial and the people it helps."
Funfairs: Intangible heritage?
Noise pollution has proved a source of contention among locals. All attractions are limited to 95 decibels during the day, 75 decibels after 22:00, and cannot play music from 23:00 until closing at 00:00. These rules are considered too stringent by forains, who believe music and general hubbub are fundamental to the funfair ambience.
"The fair has been here for [almost] 150 years," Sydney (19) told The Brussels Times. "People living nearby need to accept the noise for one month of the year."
Brussels-Ville Mayor Philippe Close (PS) annoyed some locals in July when he waived sanctions for noise pollution. The Belgian Council of State overturned his decision, stating that mayors "do not have the power to grant exemptions".
Credit: Belga / James Arthur Gekiere
Regardless of these disputes, Belgian fairground culture is in the running for UNESCO intangible heritage status, with a final decision expected by 2025. Sydney grew up living and breathing the funfair and looks forward to the month in Brussels every year. "I love coming here. I am surrounded by friends and family every time," she told The Brussels Times. "I was born a forain. This is our culture. This is a lifestyle and it deserves heritage status."
"The fair has been passed down through generations, and [UNESCO status] would be a wonderful acknowledgement for us," said Hart. "It would recognise our craft as something ancestral."
"This is a family business and a lifestyle you are born into," echoed Enrique (25), a forain working at X-treme, another contraption designed to discombobulate by hurling its passengers into the air. "I don't see myself doing anything other than this."
Sabine Zednik-Hammonds contributed to this article.
