Events calendar Belgium

A unique marathon: 42.195 km (exactly) of running, but not only! The Beer Lover's Marathon invites all running fans, but also beer lovers or anyone who wants to have a good time. Beer tastings are organised along the route, as well as tastings of local products, DJs, runners in costume and more. Each year, 1,500 runners gather to take part in this festive, er, sorry, sporting event!

After Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Tour of Flanders (De Ronde van Vlaanderen or De Ronde to its friends) is the other cycling monument. A one-day Flanders classic since 1913, it takes place in early spring. It's a demanding race, with monuments such as the Mur de Grammont, the Quaremont and the Paterberg to contend with, depending on the itinerary, which changes every year. The start in 2023 was in Bruges and will be in Antwerp in 2024, but the finish is always in Oudenaarde. Young Slovenian Tadej Pogačar is the winner of the 2023 edition, aged 24.

Since 2016, The Crystal Ship has become Europe's biggest urban art festival! Each year, this large open-air gallery welcomes a dozen artists who exhibit their work in this coastal city. Some of the biggest names in urban art have already taken part, including ROA, Paola Delfin, Miss Van and Wasted Rita. Installations, murals and sculptures allow you to visit the area in a different way. On the festival website, you'll find a free walking and cycling guide, the tour app and the possibility of booking a guide.

For two months, in the provinces of Namur and Liège, some twenty classical music concerts will be held in major heritage sites: ^13th- and ^14th-century pilgrims' songs, Corsican polyphony, Baroque cantatas, songs, viol consorts, string quartets, keyboard trios, concertos for violin or cello, piano recitals... Each year, the festival takes place in new locations steeped in history (churches, castles, abbeys, gardens, fortresses....) that inspire and inspire you to immerse yourself in classical music.

The festival was created in 2003 and is now world famous. Tommorowland welcomes festival goers from all over the world. Many DJs have already performed on stage: Avicii, David Guetta, Steve Aoki, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Calvin Harris... It is not only the line-up that attracts the festival-goers but also the atmosphere, the setting and the decorations that plunge you into an enchanted world of dreams as the name of its village "Dreamville" indicates. The show is as much on stage as in the decorations and among the festival-goers.

The Baloise Antwerp 10 Miles is a race that attracts several thousand participants every April. After a cancellation in 2020, which was intended to celebrate the centenary of the 1920 Olympic Games marathon, the sporting event was exceptionally postponed until October 2021 due to the coronavirus. The ^37th edition of Belgium's biggest running event attracted a new record in 2023 with 37,500 runners. The new Port of Antwerp Marathon, which was also intended to celebrate the centenary of the Olympic Games, was held in September 2021 and 2022.

For several weeks, every Thursday, Brussels museums open their doors for night-time events, some of which are free. This allows you to enjoy the museums outside of opening hours (for those who could not come during the usual hours, or just "because") and at a reduced rate. Each week, a list of museums is available for reservation. In some institutions, standing guides are at your disposal to reveal the secrets of the exhibitions but you can also meet artists.

In 2003, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the reign of King Albert II, a popular ball was organised on the eve of the national holiday. It has been a great success ever since and is held every year in the heart of Les Marolles! Every year on 20 July, beer flows freely, popular music (in the 2 or even 3 national languages) resounds on the Place du Jeu de Balle and the concerts go on until midnight. For a few years now, the day after the ball, a big National Restaurant where you can eat mussels of course, is also organised. Belgianness in all its splendour!

Spring is the season of bulbous flowers: daffodils, hyacinths and, above all, tulips follow one another and colour the 14 hectares of flowerbeds in the garden of the Château de Grand-Bigard, just outside Brussels. And who better than a Dutchman to supervise the 400 species of tulips present? Martin Bakker, who comes from a family of tulip growers, researches the plants and designs the gardens. In recent years, this event has become increasingly crowded and highly Instagrammable. Just make sure you stay on the marked paths!