What’s on 5-11 Jun 2025

⭐ This Week's Top Picks 

Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. Enjoy a concert evening with young pianists striving to win the prestigious Queen Elisabeth competition.

Cola + Danny Blue. Keeping the legacy of leftfield art-rock from the '80s and '90s alive is Canadian band Cola, and Danny Blue, an alternative indie rock band from Antwerp.

Discover Thailand in Bruges. Immerse yourself in Thai culture and cuisine in the centre of the city.

🎨 🎻 🧺  Art, Music & Markets

Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. “Anyone who reaches the final of an international music competition is one of the best. That is especially true when it comes to the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition. Dozens of pianists try to make the grade, but only the crème de la crème are declared laureates by the demanding expert jury. Did you follow the competition on radio or television? Well now you can experience it for real! The musicality, creativity and virtuosity of these young lions is moving, compelling… and exciting.” The programme includes piano concertos by Beethoven, Grieg and Chopin. Tickets (now on a waiting list): €14-52. 7 Jun, 20:00. Concertgebouw, ‘t Zand 34.

https://www.concertgebouw.be/en/antwerp-symphony-orchestra-8 

Monster Hit. Liesa Naert is the resident artist this season at the Bruges Cultural Centre. “The monster you never, ever want to encounter. What does that look like? … Inspired by her children's monster drawings, resident artist Liesa Naert is organizing an exhibition in our Biekorf exhibition space. In the theme "Praise of Playfulness" she is investigating, together with the people of Bruges, how impactful the imagination can be and she also wants to immerse adults in that world.” Until 20 Jun. FREE. Exporuimte Biekorf - Sint-Jakobsstraat 8. 

https://www.ccbrugge.be/agenda/4370//monsterhit

Weekly markets. The Saturday market (7 Jun) will be on ‘t Zand, and the market on Wednesday market (11 Jun) will be on the Grote Markt/Burg.  

🎬 🎭 Stage, Screen, and Scene

Cinema. Cinema Lumière (Sint-Jakobsstraat 36) will be showing a variety of films over the next week. These include The Phoenician Scheme, Peak Season, The Surfer, and Lilo & Stitch. Ticket prices are up to €12, with a family film option before 16:30 costing €9. Visit the cinema’s website for films, timings and bookings: https://lumiere-brugge.be/agenda-lumiere-brugge/

Kinepolis (Koning Albert l-laan 200) will offer films and showings over the coming week including Mission Impossible - The Final Reckoning, A Minecraft Movie, Ballerina, and Maria. A standard ticket costs €14,10. Visit https://kinepolis.be/nl/nl/movies/overview/ for more information and bookings.

⚽ Game On: Sports & Recreation

Football fans visiting Bruges can watch the city’s two world famous clubs, Brugge KSV (“Club Brugge”) and Cercle Brugge KSV (“Cercle Brugge”) play during the season at the city’s Jan Breydel stadium (Koning Leopold III-laan 50). Watch this space when the next football season gets underway!

🍻🎶 Bruges After Dark: Nightlife

Cola + Danny Blue. “The Canadian band Cola consists of Tim Darcy and Ben Stidworthy, both former members of the now-defunct Ought, along with Evan Cartright, known for his work with US Girls and Brodie West. Since their formation in 2019, they have embraced a minimalist setup of drums, bass, and guitar to craft inventive, stripped-down post-punk reminiscent of Television and Sonic Youth, with nods to the Dunedin sound of The Chills.

Vocalist and guitarist Tim Darcy has a knack for poetic one-liners and cryptic social commentary. The band delivers its lyrics over angular grooves, trebly guitars, and deceptively simple drum beats. Cola makes music for and by music nerds, drawing from a deep knowledge of half a century of guitar music. They call it thoughtful punk, infused with the DIY ethos of the Dischord and SST era, constantly seeking creative freedom with minimal means. The result is a band that sounds and feels like a perfectly synchronized unit - unsurprising, given their near-constant touring schedule.

According to Pitchfork, Cola is the band keeping the legacy of leftfield art-rock from the '80s and '90s alive. Despite only having two albums - 'The Gloss' (2019) and 'Deep in View' (2024) - the trio has already earned a cult following among fans of adventurous guitar music. Having previously played in De Zwerver and Trix, Cola now makes its debut in Bruges!”

Danny Blue. “Danny Blue is an alternative indie rock band from Antwerp, formerly known as Danny Blue and the Old Socks. Under that name, the four friends released a well-received EP in 2017 and scored a minor hit with the infectious 'Belgian Venice'. Fast forward to 2025, The Old Socks may be gone, but Danny Blue still consists of Denis De Meester (drums), Rint Mennes (bass), Robin Declerck (guitar), and Sam De Nef (guitar and vocals). Five years after their last EP 'Boys', the band is picking up where they left off, expanding their sound with elements of grunge and shoegaze. Danny Blue remains as dreamy and catchy as ever, with the experience gained from their individual solo projects enriching their sharp songwriting.

There’s plenty of new music on the horizon, but for a first taste of the reborn Danny Blue, head to Cactus Café.”  Tickets: €13-20. 11 Jun, 19:30. Cactus Muziekcentrum, Bargeweg 10.

https://www.cactusmusic.be/EN/Concerts/Calendar/cola

🌈 Family Fun: Events & Adventures

Discover Thailand in Bruges. The 11th edition of Discover Thailand in Bruges will take place this weekend. Savour delicious dishes from the various food stalls and immerse yourself in the Thai atmosphere with traditional music and dance, all while enjoying a refreshing Thai drink. FREE. 8 Jun, 10:00-20:00, ‘t Zand.

Atelier Matinée, Concertgebouw (Concert hall). The entrance hall of the Concertgebouw transforms into a play, craft, and discovery zone on (almost) every Sunday morning. FREE, next on 8 Jun, 09:30. https://www.concertgebouw.be/nl/atelier-matinee-en-workshops

Concertgebouw tours. The concert hall offers tours of its architecture and (sound) art exhibition. https://www.concertgebouw.be/nl/concertgebouw-circuit Guided tours are available on some days, including on 7, 8, 11 Jun. Tickets: €6-12, FREE for children under 6. Concertgebouw ('t Zand 34.) https://ticketshop.ticketmatic.com/concertgebouw/shop

🌤️🌧️ Weather

The forecast is cloudy with rain on several days and some sunny intervals. Daytime temperatures are expected to be between 15-20°C.

Find latest forecasts covering Bruges at: https://www.meteo.be/en/belgium