For so many Brussels residents, Zinneke is the parade of their dreams, hence the choice of this year’s theme. Arts, advocacy and community come together in a quirky, joyful procession of “Zinnodes” – a diverse variety of collaborative artistic projects by schools, neighbourhood associations, fanfares and socially oriented ateliers. They work for months to make their Zinneke appearance thoughtful and creative. The public is invited to escort the first Joyful Entry of a decorated float, themed ‘Thorns and Feathers’ in Place de la Monnaie on
28 May from 19.00. 30 May 15.00-18.00, across the city centre Although tickets to participate in the 46th edition of the Brussels 20km sold out within minutes, it’s now time to cheer on runners, handisports and walkers tand help many raise money for charity initiatives. Last year’s event collected more than €2.5 million for some great causes. DJs and live bands will rock Bois de la Cambre and Cinquantenaire Park, the start and finish sites. Note: Some major routes are closed to traffic, including Avenue
Louise, Boulevard du Souverain and Rue de la Loi for the duration of the races. Stib is laying on additional public transport services. Due to the heat, the Red Cross is organising five ice bath stations along the route. 31 May from 10.00 (9.30 for handisports), Cinquantenaire Park and other locations MAD Brussels’ colourful new exhibition What’s Your Style? offers a behind-the-scenes dive into the fashion world. This intimate look at the creative work of 11 Belgian designers features internationally renowned figures and a new
generation of emerging talents. Each designer develops their own visual language, driven by a shared vision of contemporary fashion. Through carefully crafted silhouettes, the show reveals the richness and diversity of their approaches. 29 May to 5 September, Place du Nouveau Marché aux Grains 10 The Huberty & Breyne Gallery is showing a heritage exhibition dedicated to cartoonist Maurice Tillieux. The non-commercial retrospective displays some 100 original works from the artist’s family and private collections. It’s a rare occasion to discover the world of an
author whose unique and groundbreaking work occupies a central place in the history of Franco-Belgian comics. Until 18 July, Place du Châtelain 33 (Ixelles) It’s the annual Neighbours Day (La fête des voisins/ Dag van de buren) celebration around the country. Aimed at encouraging community awareness and combatting social isolation, the Europe-wide initiative is a perfect excuse for an impromptu get-together with neighbours. The National Lottery is adding its support this year with an exclusive competition! 29 May, across the country Scharbeek cultural centre celebrates
the opening of its new building SKA with a family-friendly festival staged over two weekends. On the programme is an inaugural open-door event on Saturday that includes short film screenings (pictured) for kids aged 3+ (organised by Bay Voyons!) at 11.00, theatre and dance performances and a variety of workshops. Free entrance. 30 May to 7 June, Chaussée d’Haacht 30 (Schaerbeek) Brussels Urban Sessions returns with a new format designed to engage communities across the capital over the summer. Its three ‘takeover’ events ahead of
the main urban lifestyle and action sport event (11 to 13 September), combine sport, culture and music. They kick off with a Basketball 3×3 event this weekend, and continue with BMX Freestyle action on 13 June, and skateboarding on 4 July. Street art, music and food trucks guarantee a festive ambiance. 30 May, Place du Congrès Mezzo soprano Malena Ernman performs in a Summer Concert with the Swedish Choir of Brussels at Le Senghor on Monday evening. The programme offers a mix of new and
traditional music, in Swedish and other languages. The bar will be open before and after the concert with drinks such as ‘La Voix’, created specially for the event by a mixologist. 1 June 19.30-20.30, Le Senghor, Chaussée de Waterloo 366 (Etterbeek) Sited atop the capital’s landmark cultural centre, Bozar Rooftop is a pop-up destination for outdoor film screenings, live music, performances, dance space and afterwork events. Curated by Pali Pali, the free programme features an all-Belgian line-up of local collectives and artists. The scenography this
year is titled “The Blue Hour” and reflects the fleeting moment between day and night. 4 June to 20 September, Tuesday to Sunday 16.00-23.00, Rue Ravenstein 23 OUTSIDE BRUSSELS Antwerp Design Market takes over Waagnatie in the port city this weekend. Some 150 galleries set up their stands with thousands of pieces of furniture and objects, ranging from bespoke vintage to design. The market is a sister event to the highly successful autumn Brussels Design Market. 30-31 May, Rijnkaai 150, Antwerp Head to Villers Abbey
for a vintage car day with over 200 classic vehicles on display. Aimed principally at old-timer owners and enthusiasts, Rétro-Mobile features cars, tractors and motorbikes, as well as a panoply of family-friendly activities. They include a mini-car track, a ride on a miniature tram and guided tours of the ruins of the Cistercian Abbey and its gardens. A bar area with food trucks is open all day. 31 May 10.00-18.00, Rue de l’Abbaye, 55, Villers-la-Ville (Walloon Brabant) After the opening earlier this month of new
venue BRUSK, the Flanders Art Festival definitively crowns Bruges as an art city. The festival consists of two complementary events: the Flanders Art Fair and ArtistMeeting. The fair brings together a selection of galleries positioned within the international art market, offering works ranging from Old Masters to modern and contemporary art. Meanwhile, ArtistMeeting is a direct encounter between artist, artwork and audience: a rare opportunity to expereince artworks accompanied by a critical viewpoint. The new initiative, staged in the city’s famous Belfry, capitalises on the
Flemish region’s strong collecting tradition. 5-7 June, Marketplace 7, Bruges Liège’s La Boverie art museum celebrates the 10th anniversary of its reopening by staging a major exhibition showcasing the richness of its collections. Behind the Scenes of a Collection features no fewer than 300 works grouped around two intertwining themes: the rediscovery of the collections and the museum’s operations. Artists include Kees Van Dongen, James Ensor (pictured), Pablo Picasso, René Magritte, Henri Matisse, Vincent van Gogh, Eugène Boudin, Émile Claus, Hergé and Auguste Rodin. 29
May to 23 August, Parc de la Boverie, Liège Hasselt’s Modemuseum takes an original approach to its latest exhibition, Memory is Home, by exploring the friendships, coincidences and personal memories that shape creative lives. It brings together 18 influential figures connected to the Limburg region, including Raf Simons, Dirk Bikkembergs, Martin Margiela, Hannelore Knuts and make-up artist Inge Grognard. Themes such as nostalgia, movement & belonging and togetherness reveal how fashion and memories are deeply intertwined. Until 31 January, Gasthuisstraat 11, Hasselt The excellent Charleroi
Photo Museum has launched its new season of exhibitions. Eclats de famille explores family images via a series of artists, including Camille Carbonara and Pascal Sgro, Parfum series (pictured). Vincent Catala ïle Brésil is a non-stereotypical look at the South American country, while the work of Marcel Bascoulard, Michela Cane and Alex Schuurbiers enrich this dive into contemporary photography. The museum is housed in a renovated former Carmelite monastery on the outskirts of the Hainaut city. Until 27 September, Avenue Paul Pastur 11, Charleroi Escape
the noise of the city at Bar Bricolage in Ghent’s old dock area. The idyllic bar created from recycled materials is in the massive back garden of the Chinastraat creative space. During the spring and summer months locals gather for cocktails and pizza as well as concerts, DJ session, workshops, exhibitions, dances, ping-pong and the occasional flea market. Until September, Chinastraat 1, Ghent The city is a beacon for fashion enthusiasts thanks to the original clutch of designers who made Belgium cool in the 1980s,
forever known as The Antwerp Six. Fast forward and the city is celebrating both established names in the fashion world and a new generation of designers at the Antwerp Fashion Festival. Spread all across the city, stores open their doors for presentations, parades, talks and events. 4-7 June, multiple venues, Antwerp Discover more upcoming events at The Bulletin’s events page. Photos: (main image) Zinne Parade 2024 ©Veerle Vercauteren; Numéro Berlin — Styling by Vincent Van Laeken ©Ferry Van Der Nat; Monsieux Balourd, Gag 402, ©Maurice
TILLIEUX; SKA film ©Autour de Minuit – 2024; Flanders Art Festival ©Brugge; James_EnsorL umiere effeuillees vers 1963 ©La Boverie Ville de Liege; Pascal Sgro, de la série Parfum ©Pascal Sgro; Antwerp Fashion Festival installation ©Tom Van der Borght
Zinneke, Joyful Entry, Thorns and Feathers, Brussels 20km, Brussels Urban Sessions, MAD Brussels What’s Your Style?, Maurice Tillieux, Neighbours Day, SKA Scharbeek, Bozar Rooftop The Blue Hour, Antwerp Design Market, Rétro-Mobile, Flanders Art Festival, La Boverie Behind the Scenes of a Collection, Modemuseum Memory is Home, Charleroi Photo Museum Eclats de famille, Bar Bricolage, Antwerp Fashion Festival