This weekend's cultural agenda in Brussels is jam-packed with a wide array of activities and events. From cycling around the city discovering the capital's magnificent architecture to sipping on some French wine in the sunshine, here are our top picks.
Arts, music and culture
BANAD, various locations in Brussels, until Sunday 30 March
This year's edition of the Brussels Art Nouveau Art Deco (BANAD) Festival – well-known for giving visitors access to buildings usually closed to the public – will revolve around celebrating 100 years of Art Deco.
The Basilique de Koekelberg. Credit: Banad
Sixty interiors, from places of worship and museums to artists’ studios and private homes, will be showcased, with some opening to BANAD visitors for the first time. Our top picks? A bicycle tour around Brussels' iconic Art Nouveau buildings, or a tour of the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Basilique de Koekelberg), featuring access to the viewing platform with its panoramic views of Brussels.
Find more information here.
L’heure d’hiver 2025 : Napoli, Cinema Galeries, until 21 March
Every year, Brussels' beloved Cinema Galeries – located in the majestic Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert – invited cinephiles to explore a city from the Mediterranean region through the lens of cinema. This month, for its seventh edition, the spotlight is on the Italian city of Naples, which "embodies a stage for lives, passions and contradictions".
Credit: Cinema Galeries
Using restored archive footage, recent fiction films and compelling documentaries, it invites audiences to immerse themselves in this southern metropolis and its rich heritage. While all ten of the carefully chosen films are must-watches, we will be booking a seat to see California by Alessandro Cassigoli and Casey Kauffman, which tells the tale of an exuberant young Moroccan girl living in a small southern Italian town and how she finds her place in the world.
Find more information here.
Out and about
Foire du Livre, Gare Maritime, until Sunday 16 March
Since its creation in 1969, the Brussels Book Fair (Foire du Livre) has established itself as a major event in the world of books in Belgium. On the agenda are more than 300 activities celebrating books in all their forms, including conferences, debates and professional meetings exploring the changes in books and their societal role.
Credit: Alice Elshout
A new feature this year is the opening of Family Village, a new space that will offer readings, workshops and fun activities for toddlers. Meanwhile, an unprecedented partnership with the Frankfurt Book Fair will highlight German-language literature, the guest of honour at this edition.
Find more information here.
Collective Design Fair, Vanderborght Building, until Sunday 16 March
COLLECTIBLE, the one-of-a-kind international fair dedicated to 21st-century collectible design, is returning to Brussels for its eighth edition.
Credit: COLLECTIBLE
Organised in the Vanderborght Building – occupying an impressive 6,000 m² of space spread over five storeys, providing spectacular scenography – the event pushes the boundaries of creativity, showcasing established and emerging galleries, design studios and independent editors.
Find more information here.
What's your poison?
Public Brewing Session, Brasserie Cantillon/Musée Bruxellois de la Gueuze, Saturday 15 March
Head to the last lambic brewery in Brussels this Saturday to take part in a unique public brewing session. Witness the process of brewing beer and gain insights into the "filtration and hopping" before noon, and learn all about cooking the wort and pumping it into the coolship in the afternoon. The brewers will also showcase the ancient method of barrel cleaning.
Brasserie Cantillon et Musée bruxellois de la Geuze. Credit: Inventaire du patrimoine architectural
Guided tours will be organised in English (from 07:00), French (07:10) and Dutch (07:20). The price includes the guided tour and tasting, while croissants and coffee are offered for those struggling with the early weekend morning. A must for beer lovers!
Find more information here. Online booking required.
Saint-Gilles Wine Fair (Foire du Vigneros), Place Van Meenen, until Sunday 16 March
Is beer not your preferred tipple? The celebrated Wine Fair in Saint-Gilles might be just your thing! The 29th edition of this convivial and well-established wine fair will showcase the products of more than 40 French winegrowers. These range from an Alsace Crémant and local champagnes to a full-bodied Côtes du Rhône.
Credit: Charve
Several food trucks will also be stationed on the striking Place Van Meenen, next to Saint-Gilles municipal hall, to line your stomach.
Find more information here.
