The Antwerp city festival, Full Circle, will move to Ghent for the first time on Saturday evening, transforming Gent-Dampoort station into a nightclub.
The organisers expect between 10,000 and 15,000 visitors. After seven editions in Antwerp attracting up to 26,000 people, Full Circle will be a more intimate affair in Ghent.
Nonetheless, both the city and the organisers anticipate a substantial crowd. “Half of the visitors are coming from outside the city, highlighting the importance of nightlife for Ghent,” says Sofie Bracke, the city’s Councillor for Economy.
Many cafés will open early in the evening for smaller, accessible events known as Circle Up. The main festival venues open at midnight, including popular spots like Decadance and Charlatan, as well as the S.M.A.K. and Gent-Dampoort station. A single ticket grants access to over fifteen participating clubs, with a line-up featuring 120 Belgian artists. The nightlife scene appears to be thriving.
On Friday, Gent also hosted Inside The Circle, a meeting of the ‘Nightlife Council’ featuring industry professionals. “We held an open meeting at the Wintercircus with at least three hundred attendees,” says Jochem Peeters of Full Circle. Cities like Antwerp and Ghent are keen to support nightlife rather than hinder it, Peeters observes.
Full Circle aims to continue blending smaller collectives with well-known artists. “Competitors can be united,” Peeters adds. “This concept works in both cities.”
Full Circle will return to Antwerp later this year, with plans for Brussels still in the future.
Public transport at Gent-Dampoort station will operate as usual, with extra safety measures in place to keep partygoers away from the tracks.
