The whole of Brussels will be under the Iris Festival spell on the first weekend of May. On Saturday 4 May and Sunday 5 May, the Brussels-Capital Region will be celebrating its 35th anniversary. This will be marked by a packed, surprising and varied programme.
During the annual Iris Festival, Brussels will be putting its best foot forward. From 11:00 on Saturday 4 May, it will take you to the most surprising places in three Brussels communes and the European quarter. After the Iris Festival in the communes, the day will culminate in the Iris Tipik Electro Night.
The next day, from noon onwards, everyone is invited to take the whole family to Brussels Park for Party in the Park, where a diverse range of activities will be laid on. All the activities organised by visit.brussels at the Brussels-Capital Region festival are free, including performances and outdoor concerts.
The Iris Festival in the communes
This year on Saturday 4 May, the spotlight will be on three Brussels communes. Schaerbeek, Evere and Saint-Josse-ten-Noode will be giving their all. Dozens of free tours of the three neighbouring communes have been scheduled.
In Schaerbeek, for example, one can visit the town hall, follow the Art Nouveau trail along avenue Louis Bertrand, visit Autrique House (and the Folon exhibition) and La Maison des Arts (and its Encore & Encore/Keer op Keer/Again and Again exhibition), sample beers at the Schaerbeek Beer Museum and indulge in a chocolate tasting session at Concept Chocolate.
Evere will be showcasing its own history in the renovated Pieter Cnops Museum. Also billed are the history of the Evere Mill and a walk in the Moeraske (Marsh).
Similarly, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode will be showing off some surprising locations. Visitors are taken around the two exhibitions in the library and the beautiful Charlier Museum. One will also be able to join in on culinary workshops.
Iris Tipik Electro Night
Saturday night, between 19:00 and 3:00, Brussels’ place des Palais will be transformed into a giant dance floor. The Iris Tipik Electro Night programme will feature the insanely popular duos from France Ofenbach and TRINIX, alongside local heroes like Alex Germys, Emjie and Raql.
Party in the park
On Sunday, Brussels Park will be transformed into seven themed villages where you can learn about all kinds of associations and participate in a whole host of family-friendly activities. At the Culture and Heritage Village, visitors will be able to enjoy culture in all its forms. Find out what’s on offer in Brussels for your little ones at the Kids Village. The people who make Brussels’ public services and institutions possible show visitors around in the Public Village. Learn more about cultural, educational and charitable projects at the Associations Village.
Those who enjoy participating in science workshops can visit the Science Village. Sports and leisure associations share their passion with visitors in the Sports Village. Dive into student life and fun scientific activities at the VUB’s and ULB’s Universities Village.
On Sunday afternoon, visitors will be able to enjoy many street artists and other artists in Brussels Park. Discover, among others: Zizanie, HH Producties, Cirque plein d’air, Sokar,
Ganesha Events, Atelier Mobile, Jenlisisters, Apollo Swing, Areito and the Lachspiegelcentrale. Compagnie A demi-mot, Collectif Radiscalson, La tartinade and other artists will be wandering their way through the park. Tree and wall climbing are also on the programme. There will even be boats.
The Brussels Parliament
The Brussels Parliament will also be throwing open its doors during the Iris Festival on Sunday, so visitors will be able to discover this temple of democracy up close. Activities are planned for young and old alike.
What’s more
Visitors can hop on their bikes for a tour through the greenery in the north of Brussels all weekend. Or cycle in the footsteps of Magritte to mark 100 years of surrealism. There will also be guided walking tours to learn more about surrealism in Brussels, get into the countryside with nature experts and discover all the facets of the European Quarter.
In Molenbeek, the weekend is all about art and science with CurieuCity, a free festival for the whole family near Brussels’ Gare de l’Ouest – Weststation. Saturday will also feature a large outdoor festival during the day. The Play Label Open Air on place Poelaert will host exclusively Brussels-based DJs. The Palace of Justice will be freely accessible on Sunday. Visitors can spend an entire day there, immersed in the world of law and order.
Accessibility
For those cycling to the Iris Festival, there are free secure bicycle parking facilities provided by cycloparking.brussels on rue Baron Horta, across from Brussels Park. Separate parking spaces are provided for persons with limited mobility.