Friday thankfully always seems to come around faster when the working week is split by a bank holiday. While some may be sad that the Halloween festivities and bank holiday are over, there is still plenty to discover in the Belgian capital this weekend.
Theatre central
Bâtard Festival, Beursschouwburg, until Saturday 4 November
In the spirit of this week's Halloween celebrations, the 2023 edition of Bâtard performing arts festival will take on a magical, bewitched theme. The festival aims to transport the audience to another realm, guided by enchanting magicians Andrea Zavala Folache and Tea Teearu, presenting the surreal magic of Magic Sells.
Credit: Bâtard Festival
As always, the captivating programme will include a wide range of performances and concerts as well as knowledge-sharing conversations, with unforgettable closing party to finish.
Find more information here.
Bruxelles sur Scènes, various locations, until Thursday 30 November
Explore some of the capital's most unusual venues, cafés-théâtres, during the seventh edition of the 'Bruxelles sur Scènes' festival. It invites lovers of the arts and people less familiar with theatre to explore a rich mix of music and comedy, with over 100 performances scheduled throughout the month of November.
A performance at one of the participating venues. Credit: Jazz Station
This weekend, the programme includes Azahar Orchestra, bringing the summer to rainy Brussels, the multidisciplinary show Sassy Cabaret at the underground L'Os à Moelle venue including acrobats and clowns, and much more.
Find more information here.
Out and about
HIP-HOP B-DAY FEST, Jardin Hospice, Friday 3 November
This free event organised by Vib'z Radio in the unique Jardin Hospice venue in Brussels' city centre is a celebration of hip-hop culture and the ways in which it continues to impact and influence society today.
Credit: Vib'z Radio
The programme of the festival, aimed at a cross-generational audience from nostalgic fans to new lovers of the genre, includes hip-hop dance workshops and battles, live concerts, DJ sets, and street art showcases, as well as a retrospective exhibition tracing the history of hip-hop and its cultural impact.
Find more information here.
Comic Con, Gare Maritime, Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 November
Immerse yourself in the world of action heroes and comic book characters as Brussels becomes the capital of Geek Culture. From comics and gaming to cosplay, manga and anime, this event has something for fans of all genres.
Credit: Comic Con
Take part in a Disney karaoke, explore the extensive market set up by a wide range of dealers, or meet major celebrities such as Jean-Claude Van Damme, Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who) and the one and only MacGyver.
Find more information here.
Off the beaten track
Día de Muertos Festival, Marolles, until Saturday 4 November
While Halloween may be over, the Marolles neighbourhood celebrating el día de los muertos (Day of the Dead) all week, with an explosion of colour, Mexican altars, vibrant parades, brightly coloured flowers, fireworks and Latino music at the Bruegel Cultural Centre.
La Procesión, the festive finale to the whole week. Credit: Centre Culturel Bruegel
This annual Mexican tradition was first organised in Brussels in 2018, a joyful celebration inviting people to reinvent their relationship with death. There is an immense altar for the dead, workshops for making engraved offerings, mezcal and hot chocolate, Mexican music concerts, mask and make-up workshops and much more.
Find more information here.
Cuir, Halles de Schaerbeek, until Sunday 5 November
This performance shakes up the codes of contemporary masculinity as two athletes in underwear wearing leather harnesses shift from performing a waltz of the gladiators and tango for sumo wrestlers. The lifter and liftee do not aim for power over the other, but rather power and fragility together with the other.
Credit: Les Halles de Schaerbeek
This rugged yet powerful show of strength, skill and endurance is also tender at times, both shocking and charming to the audience.
Find more information here.
