It's the longest day of the year this Thursday (20 June), and the peak of summer also marks the return of Fête de la Musique this weekend, when Brussels and Wallonia will be flooded with music to showcase home-grown talent in Belgium's Francophone region.
Taking place from 20 to 23 of June (with some events kicking off earlier this week), the public can enjoy hundreds of free concerts and events over the weekend, as part of the biggest annual live showcase of artists from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
History
Fête de la Musique is celebrated in more than 100 countries across the world to mark the summer solstice when citizens and residents are encouraged to play and enjoy music in their local neighbourhoods and public spaces.
It first started in France in 1976, when American Joel Cohen (who was working for France Musique at the time) came up with the idea of broadcasting a day and night of music to celebrate the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer.
The first all-day festival took place in Paris in 1982, and was launched by Jack Lang, then Minister of Culture of France, as well as French composer Maurice Fleuret.
Neighbouring Belgium started celebrating its version of the festival soon afterwards, with the first edition in 1985. In Belgium, it is organised by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (also known as the French Community of Belgium which oversees culture) in French-speaking Belgium, and is marking its 40th year.
Credit: Fête de la Musique / Bernard Babette
Brussels
There will be free live shows and DJ sets happening across the capital across the weekend, with gigs covering everything from rap and rock, to electro and classical music, in parks and on outdoor stages as well as in museums.
The "big fiesta" will be taking place across the weekend in Cinquantaire Park, where acts like Doria D, Eosine, Chevalier Surprise, Fresh, Moji x Sboy, La Femme, BCUC, Françoiz Breut, Lisette Lombé, and Flavien Berger will grace the stage. There will also be entertainment for the youngest festival goers, in particular a family friendly morning on Saturday.
Over in Marolles there will also be a schedule of open air concerts kicking off from Saturday afternoon (14:00), with this year's theme bringing you the best in Afropean sounds and West African polyrhythms - with acts like GanGan The New Style, Urbanda and Drom. Meanwhile on Saturday evening (18:00) in the Breugel Cultural Centre a programme of festive pop features IMAINA and Alek et les Japonaises.
At the Grand Hospice, there will be soul and R&B sounds from 16:00 on Saturday, with acts including LMT, Naomi Aguilera, Raph Luchs and Chloe Catara. There will also be stalls and exhibitions including jewellery stalls and a tarot table.
The Galerie d'Art Costermans in Place du Grand Sablon will be alive with independent rock on Sunday, both underground and mutant until 20:45, with acts including Edouard Van Praet and Lizard.
Events are also scheduled in Parc Royal, Bois de la Cambre, Bozar, Bourse, the Lizst Institute, Place Mont des Arts, Super Fourchette and Le poisson sans bicyclette in the city centre and in most Brussels municipalities. Check out the complete programme for what's happening across the weekend in Brussels.
Credit: Fête de la Musique / Bernard Babette
Across Wallonia
There is also a huge variety of musical events taking place across the five provinces of the Walloon region over the weekend.
In Liège, the party starts on Wednesday at 13:00 with a carillon concert by Jean-Christophe Michallek at Cathédrale Saint-Paul. Across the weekend there will be everything – from folk in the Parc de Bressoux and jazz at Les Chiroux, to afro-house at Mad Café and metal at the Simenon Youth Hostel. The lineup includes a Red Hot Chilli Peppers tribute from The Peas, a DJ set from Brussels DJ Lefto Early Bird, as well as drag performances, and a performance by the Liège Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
In Walloon Brabant, every musical style will be represented at the municipality hall in Rixensart, where there will be a bandstand and acts performing from 13:45 on Saturday, until late.
Meanwhile, rock fans can flock to the garden of the Arti'Zik music school in Braine-l'Alleud on Friday, and on Thursday the Rideau Rouge in Lasne will be playing host to the sun-drenched soul music of Estelle Baldé. There are also events taking place in Louvain-la-Neuve, Nivelles, Ophain, Villers-la-Ville and Waterloo.
Fancy a trip further? There are events taking place in Hainaut, Namur, and Luxembourg, with the full schedule available here.
