Throughout the month of September, Brussels will be packed with green, sustainable fun and sporting activities. Come and soak up the atmosphere in this sustainable city!
The Brussels-Capital Region presents: “EAT! Brussels,” one of the flagship events for 2012, the year of fine food.
From September 13-16, the “Brussels Restaurant Festival” will bring together over 30 restaurateurs from the Capital region’s 19 municipalities for 4 days, where they will share their know-how and their passion for good ingredients with an audience of food lovers.
As part of Brusselicious 2012, themed villages (the Brussels village, the international village, the Asian village, the Mediterranean village, and the “Cuisines of the World” village) will be where all the city’s specialities and the distinctive features of eating out in Brussels will come together. The tastier menus dished up by the chefs will be available for discounted prices (6 euros), in the form of tastier dishes prepared onsite.
Entertainment for all the Family
As well as the food-related discoveries, there is a varied program of activities for young and old alike at the Bois de La Cambre, chosen to host the event because of its location and stunning expanses of lawn.
In the evening, the music of specially-invited DJs and bands will ring out through the trees until 10:00 pm, while the Wood and the Jeux d’Hiver will be hosting the after party on Friday & Saturday, September 14 & 15. During car-free Sunday, families will be able to relish the “EAT! Brussels” festival from 11:00 am until 8:00 pm.
“EAT! Brussels”
www.eatbrussels.be
Taste Bruxelles, give your senses a real treat
The goal is to show off a different side of Brussels; that of an eco, food-loving capital, a green city, that it’s a pleasure to walk around, a city to explore with all your senses…
From Monday-Sunday, September 17-23, 2012, in every corner of the beautiful old capital, restaurants will be striving to be “good, clean, and fair,” offering one or more Slow Food dishes, products, menus, drinks, or actions. Over 70 different venues (snack bars and healthy light refreshment outlets, tables d’hôtes and delis, community or social kitchens, local bistros and big, Michelin-starred restaurants, wine bars and pubs) will be taking part in this “Week of Taste,” promoting the best that local producers have to offer with seasonal, organic, farm-produced, and artisan products.
Slow Food: Rediscovering Flavor
The Taste Brussels event is based on the principles of Slow Food: sharing, the pleasure of good food, and learning about taste, protecting the environment, defending biodiversity and food heritage, and creating links between producers and consumers.
The Brussels branch of the Slow Food movement, Karikol, organizes foodie walks whereby visitors can see behind the scenes of artisan production processes that are usually not open to the public and find out about the region’s excellent honey. The organization also puts on organic gardening lessons.
Taste Brussels
www.karikol.be
PiQniQ: A leisurely Sunday in the great outdoors
As part of Brusselicious 2012, VISITBRUSSELS is giving you the perfect opportunity to enjoy a wonderful experience in a beautiful setting with family or friends.
On the afternoons of Sunday, September 2, 9 & 16, 2012, enjoy a different kind of piQniQ in one of the stunning parks: learn how to make bread, dance, or take part in a nature walk. Artisans, producers, and food processers from every corner of Belgium will be sharing the fruit of their labor, grown using organic farming methods. Just pick a spot: at a table, on the grass, in a deckchair, in a tent, in the sunshine…
PiQniQ in Brussels’ Parks
www.brusselicious.be
Tour calendar
Between March and December, whether you’re a local, a Belgian or a visitor from further afield, take the chance to enjoy one of the tours organised by the 5 associations who are members of Voir et Dire Bruxelles. A number of the tours are put on in association with some of the year’s flagship events (Brussels and the comic strip, Magritte).
This calendar, available free of charge on request, includes a description of the tours and a timetable for a range of activities in 3 languages: French, Dutch, and English.
Calendar of Tours Round Brussels
www.voiretdirebruxelles.be
Brussels EcoTrail
The first Brussels EcoTrail will take place on Saturday, September 29, 2012 with a mighty 80 km route through the Sonian Forest and the Green Walk, ending up at the Atomium.
The concept of the Ecotrail, launched in Paris a few years ago, is to highlight all the beautiful green spaces in Europe’s capital, and pay tribute to the country’s 2 other regions, Flanders and Wallonia. The starting point for this first trail is the Centre ADEPS, Chaussée de Wavre 2057, 1160 Auderghem.
Ecotrail website
www.ecotrailbrussels.com
The Roller Parade races the cars off the road
For the last few years, the “Roller Parade” has been passing through Belgium’s most beautiful cities, and, of course, Brussels fits the bill! It’s always the same principle: giving roller bladers the chance to travel through urban landscapes in complete safety, without any cars on the road… This will be the case every Friday between 7:00 pm and 11:00 pm until September 28. The starting point is the “Place Poelaert,” and there are 2 routes (beginners from 8:00 pm until 9:00 pm & experienced from 9:00 pm until 11:00 pm). The Brussels Roller Parade is also open to cyclists, as long as everyone follows one basic rule: ride behind the last roller blader, and never cycle into the group of roller bladers.
The Friday night “roller parade”
www.belgiumrollers.com
CAR-FREE DAY, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2012
Mobility Week and Car-free Day 2012
Simultaneously in Brussels and throughout Europe, one week is set aside to focus on mobility. One week to learn about and use alternatives to the car in the city: train, bike, tram, bus, rollerblades… The highpoint of the week will be car-free Sunday on September 16, 2012 throughout the Brussels region.
Can you hear birds sing?
Car-free Sunday applies to everyone. Apart from taxis, public transport, coaches, support services, the police, and anyone with a special pass, the whole of the Brussels region will be closed to traffic between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm. Public transport will, of course, be running as usual, and what’s more, it’s free.
“My village in the city” in 10 municipalities around Brussels
On Sunday, September 16, 2012, “My village in the city” will be giving you the chance to enjoy a peaceful, sociable experience in the symbolic squares of 10 of Brussels’ municipalities (Brussels and Neder-over-Heembeek, Saint-Josse, Schaerbeek, Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles, Molenbeek, Jette, Evere, Etterbeek, and Watermael-Boitsfort). The purpose of this initiative is to develop a hub in the heart of the municipalities for meeting and raising awareness, decentralized from the usual areas in the spotlight for a car-free day. Come here to enjoy lovely expanses of grass, a relaxing, festive atmosphere and a whole host of activities.
www.dimanchesansvoiture.irisnet.be
The 24th Heritage Days event: Stones and men
We want people to learn about the important individuals and remarkable places that Brussels has to offer. After “stones and words,” the theme of 2011’s Heritage Days, it’s now time for “stones and men” on September 15 & 16, 2012.
These are men and women who have built, transformed, inhabited, illustrated, and even haunted these places that demand our admiration or arouse our curiosity. Castles, churches, schools, monasteries, caves, palaces, or humble little cottages once housed the men and women who live on in our imaginations or who honor our region. What originally seemed like quite a challenge has been a real success, as there are no fewer than 400 suggestions for you to explore, each one linking a monument or special site to an extraordinary individual.
Heritage Days
www.journeesdupatrimoine.be
Bruxelles champêtre celebrates its 10th anniversary!
The most unusual event of car-free day! Make sure Sunday, September 16, 2012 is in your diary and share an unforgettable, festive, fun day with friends in front of the Royal Palace and in Brussels Park.
Imagine a gathering of farmyard animals right in the middle of the capital, bringing the countryside into the city, the biggest ever urban picnic with 4,000 m² of grass covering the paving stones, the largest gathering of organic, local, and slow-food producers, farmers, and artisans, with plenty of entertainment, information stands, and games for everyone. Head to the Place des Palais on car-free Sunday!
http://www.bruxelles-champetre.be/spip.php?article152
JOIN US FOR LIBERCITY DAY!
Come and explore another side to Brussels. See how you can get around Brussels even if you have restricted mobility, but you’re still a tourist like any other.
A tourist guide (hard copy and online) entitled “Brussels for all” has already been produced, so let’s all join forces to make it even better, and make sure that everyone can enjoy all the cultural and leisure activities that Brussels has to offer.
During LIBERCITY day, groups of 5 students will be walking around the different districts of the Brussels-Capital Region. On Wednesday, September 19, they will be armed with everything they need to measure, photograph, and comment on the public areas they visit to check how accessible they are to anyone with mobility issues (for example height of steps, tables, access to toilets, to museum rooms, etc.)
Libercity
www.brusselsforall.be
Visit Brussels is a member of the International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP), a fast-growing grassroots travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to quality service and green growth.
