Brussels’ largest open-air terrace event, which usually takes place every summer in the Uccle neighbourhood, will be back in service this season beginning Friday 4 June.
La Terrasse O2 had to cancel its 2020 edition due to the pandemic, but the organising company, Simply Better, announced its return on Saturday.
The 17th edition will be held from Friday 4 June to Saturday 31 July, and the outdoor venue will be open to the public from 12 noon to 10pm until 9 June, and until 11.30pm thereafter in accordance with the current health measures in force.
The 5,000 square metre site allows for the required space between the tables, which will only be able to seat a maximum of four people. Orders will be managed via a smartphone application in order to limit contact.
“The maximum number of visitors will be limited to 400, which makes it the largest open-air terrace in Brussels,” said Denis Van Praet and Benoit Marquézy, who head the Simply Better agency.
“The decision to organise this 2021 edition, despite all the risks linked to the health crisis, was taken at the end of April. The project, which usually takes six months to complete, will have been completed this year in just under nine weeks.”
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The organising company is hoping to get back into financial shape after losing 90% of its turnover on its core business (creating events for companies) since March 2020 and the start of the coronavirus crisis.
“The budget for this particular edition is around 600,000 euros and is financed entirely from its own funds, with no public subsidies and a significant drop in sponsorship,” said the duo at the head of the event.
In terms of jobs, some 70 seasonal positions have been created.
“The 2021 edition should benefit from the Euro football tournament and the Olympic Games, which will be broadcast on a giant screen,” said the organisers.
La Terrasse welcomes an average of 70,000 visitors each year. During the previous edition in 2019, the event passed the milestone of one million visitors recorded since its creation.
“Summer is approaching, and with it, lunches on the terrace, aperitifs with friends, and evenings that never end,” advertises Visit Brussels.
“Once again, La Terrasse wanted to surprise you with new curves, materials and atmospheres. A wooden space - designed by young Brussels architects - where green, white and blue mingle, La Terrasse is now more than ever in line with eco-responsibility.”
