As we enter the limbo period between winter and spring, with joyful periods of sunshine and warmth being abruptly interrupted by cold winds, it can be challenging to get outdoors. However, as The Brussels Times weekly list this week shows, there is plenty to make the most of when going out in Brussels and beyond.
Arts, culture and music
Fiesta Latina — Carnival Edition, Tour & Taxis, Friday 17 until Sunday 19 March
This weekend, for the very first time, the organisers of Brussels' beloved Fiesta Latina will bring a winter edition of the country's biggest Latin American event. Usually taking place at the start of September, this year summer has come early.
Credit: Fiesta Latina
Over three days of fiestas, folklore and carnival traditions will be showcased in the grand halls of Tour & Taxis, warming people up for the spring and summer days to come. Expect Latin carnivals in the world, with its amazing dancers, extravagant costumes, lively music, the very best of South American cuisine and much more!
Find more information and tickets here.
Solar, Royal Theatre of La Monnaie, until Sunday 19 March
The visual depiction of The Fall of Icarus, one of the most famous paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, hangs in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts in Brussels, however, this weekend, the tragedy featured in Roman poet Ovid's Metamorphoses will be told on the stage of the Brussels opera house, the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie .
Credit: Simon van Rompay
Sung in English, with French and Dutch subtitles, this opera is made by young people, with composer Howard Moody tackling the subject of respect for nature by using the Greek tragedy's moral that, whoever puts their freedom before the forces of nature, risks causing their own downfall.
Find more information and tickets here.
Out and about
BANAD festival, various locations, until Sunday 26 March
Brussels Art Nouveau Art Deco Festival (BANAD) returns to the capital for its seventh edition, inviting locals and tourists alike to explore the most exceptional Art Nouveau and Art Deco locations in Brussels from Villa Pelseneer in the municipality of Uccle to the Pieper hotels in Ixelles.
Hôtel Pieper. Credit: Belga
Some 50 remarkable places that are usually closed to the public will open their doors and can be discovered during guided tours. There will also be conferences, family activities, inclusive walks and an Object and Restaurant Fair will also be organised. The event will culminate with a cabaret concert by the Golden Age Society, immersing visitors in the atmosphere of the Roaring Twenties.
Find more information and the full programme here.
Brussels water days, various locations, until Sunday 26 March
Rediscover the Brussels world of water. With many free events, visitors can embark on guided tours through the Brussels Sewage Museum, boat trips and nature walks and lectures on water management – explaining why water is the key source of life.
Walk over water Credit: Brussels Environment
There are also numerous activities tailored to children, including saving amphibians. Find more information and the full programme here.
Further afield
Romeo and Juliet for kids, Bijloke Ghent, Saturday 18 March
A performance tailored to children doesn't have to be childish! With music played by Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and conducted by famous Belgian conductor Dirk Brossé, this performance tells the tale of Shakespeare's classic Romeo and Juliet, transporting the audience to the Italian city of Verona.
The fairytale romance ends in a tragedy. Credit: Bijloke Gent
The story focuses on the rivalry between the Montacchi and the Capuletti families and how, despite this ongoing rivalry, Romeo and Juliet fall hopelessly in love with each other, putting oil on the fire and resulting in a life-and-death duel between the two families. Get ready for enchanting orchestral music for the whole family.
Find more information and tickets here.
