For the majority of people in Belgium, this weekend will be a long weekend, as Easter Monday is a bank holiday. For the even luckier few, this weekend marks the start of the two-week Easter holidays, meaning there is plenty of cause for celebration in the coming days and no excuse to miss out on the large number of activities going on in the capital this weekend.
Arts, music and culture
Listen Festival, various locations in Brussels, until Sunday 31 March
Brussels' premier electronic music festival, which brings the city to life every year with a programme that extends across the most unique venues, is back and better than ever. Listen defines itself as an eclectic festival that showcases the diversity of the electronic music scene, taking place in unconventional venues across the city
Local legend Lefto Early Bird performs at the 2023 edition in Brussels Central station. Credit: Listen Festival
The event started with a rare night of dancing at the Church of Our Lady in Laeken on Tuesday, and the agenda for the final days includes parties inside the Congrès metro station and at the Brussels-Central railway station. The festival will close with an unprecedented rave in two Brussels tunnels on Sunday.
Find more information here.
Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto, Théâtre Molière, Friday 29 March
Both Senegalese kora master and singer Ablaye Cissoko and French diatonic accordionist Cyrille Brotto have for years now been at the heart of the Muziekpublique initiative, which organises concerts, courses and workshops in world and traditional music in the heart of Brussels.
Cyrille Brotto and Ablaye Cissoko. Credit: Muziekpublique
This event will bring a poetic dialogue between two virtuosos that is sure to leave the audience stirred. In a waltz where the kora vibrates and the accordion blows, they converse in a common, harmonious language, bringing spectators on a spiritual and intimate journey, guided by Cissoko's soft and velvety voice.
Find more information here.
Immense Festival, various locations in Brussels, until Sunday 31 March
Don't miss the final weekend of this one-of-a-kind event with a focus on homelessness and how to end the issue in Brussels – key topics in Brussels where thousands of people are homeless or in precarious housing situations.
Credit: Immense Festival
Through a wide range of events, from film screenings to debated and book readings, which all involve people affected by the problem, the festival aims to encourage the general public in the capital region to consider whether enough is being done to put an end to the homelessness that is destroying thousands of lives. The month-long event will culminate with a demonstration on Sunday to draw attention to the issue and call for solutions.
Find more information here.
Get on your dancing shoes
Sounds Zwing Festival, Sounds Jazz Club, until Saturday 30 March
In light of the devastating announcement that the legendary Brussels Sounds Jazz Club is closing in a few months, lovers of the club should be all the more sure not to miss one of its staple events: the Zwing Festival.
Juke Records Big Band. Credit: Sounds Jazz Club
On Friday, the Juke Records Big Band, founded by trombone player Timothé Le Maire five years ago and inspired by the everlasting music of Duke Wellington, will take to the stage with songs that will surely get the whole crowd dancing. The event will close on Saturday with the Tea for 20's Swing Band, marking Canadian singer Lily Thibodeau's first time in Brussels. An unmissable tribute to the early swing era.
Find more information here.
Easter egg hunts
Educational easter egg hunt, BELvue museum, Sunday 31 March and Monday 1 April
Why make a hunt for easter eggs easy? The BELvue museum in Brussels' city centre has come up with an ingenious format to the age-old tradition by asking young participants to carry out a wide range of tasks, including deciphering codes, creating drawings and finding information, before getting their hands on the little chocolate treats.
Weather permitting, the egg hunt ends in the museum garden, adding to the spring fun. The ticket to participate in the event also includes entrance to the museum, meaning families can make a whole outing of the occasion. Find more information here.
A child holding chocolate Easter eggs. Credit: Belga/ Bruno Fahy
Those who cannot wait until Sunday or Monday for their easter egg hunt should head to Parc Josaphat in Schaerbeek, where an afternoon of fun for children aged two to 12 will be organised in the great outdoors.
The Children's Department has once again pulled out all the stops to celebrate Easter, as the hunt will be accompanied by a whole host of activities including arts and crafts, zumba, face painting, bouncy castles and lots more surprises. Find more information here.
For the wee ones
Kidzik Édition Printemps, various locations in Brussels, until Sunday 31 March
Spring is finally returning to Brussels and with it comes Kidzik Édition Printemps, the beloved music festival dedicated to young audiences. Discover shows, concerts and activities specially designed for kids aged 0 to 10 across the four corners of the capital region.
Credit: le_kidzik / Instagram
During the final days of the event, a wide range of activities is on the agenda, from a musical theatre performance about women from a village in Burkina Faso and stories of adventures in the clouds to a tale about friendship and inventiveness. Not able to make it to this edition? Fret not, the festival will return with its summer edition in August.
Find more information here.
