The Brussels Foire du Midi is back for its 144th edition. For over a month, young and old alike will flock to the urban fairground near Brussels-Midi railway station to ride dozens of attractions, including two new ones.
For several weeks each summer, the mundane car park on Boulevard du Midi transforms into a vibrant, colourful and bustling urban amusement park as the Foire du Midi comes to town. This year, it will welcome visitors from Saturday 13 July to Sunday 18 August. In recent years, it has attracted some 970,000 people.
"Anchored in the DNA of Brussels, with its unifying, good-natured and cross-generational aspect, the Foire du Midi is a popular summer venue and a summer driver of our economy," said Councillor for Economic Affairs Benhur Ergen (DéFI). "Once again, our teams have been hard at work for weeks to ensure that it is safe, comfortable and clean."
The 141st edition of the Foire du Midi. Credit: Belga / James Arthur Gekiere
A total of 123 attractions will be set up on the large 1.6 km-long fairground along Boulevard du Midi, stretching from Arts et Métiers to Porte de Hal.
This includes traditional fairground attractions, but also state-of-the-art modern contraptions and new rides: the 'Remix', a mechanical attraction with arms to send young and old "flying through the air"; and the 'Pixel', a 3D visit into the world of Mario Bros. (from the age of 4).
Belgian fairground culture is eligible for UNESCO's list of intangible heritage this year. Whether it is included will become clear by the end of 2025.
Security and concerns
In terms of security, there will be a fixed police booth, and patrols will be watching the fairground, especially from 17:00 until closing time. Meetings between local residents, stall holders and the Commerce Department will be organised during the event to take stock of any disturbances.
The City of Brussels is aiming to "strike a balance between a historic, family-friendly event and neighbourhood living." It is therefore implementing noise standards (up to 95 decibels during the day and a maximum of 75 decibels after 22:00). Noise pollution from the Foire du Midi has often caused upset among locals in recent years.
Local residents have already come together in an action committee. They are planning to raise their concerns about the problems in the neighbourhood – related to the Foire de Midi, but also about the Boulevard du Midi in general, such as drug abuse and littering – with Brussels politicians. They have also called for more greenery and benches in the area, but believe that the annual Foire du Midi is blocking any progress.
Related News
- Iconic Ommegang folk festival and parade return to Brussels city centre
- Brussels returns with second edition of free urban summer event
This year's sponsor is the 'Make A Wish' association, which makes the wishes of seriously ill children come true. As is the case every year, sick, disabled and or disadvantaged children will be invited for special day out on 8 August.
The Foire du Midi opens its doors every day from 14:00 to 00:00 on weekdays (from 11:00 for food stands) and from 14:00 to 01:00 on weekends and the evenings before public holidays.
Find more information about the Foire du Midi here.
