What’s on 6-12 Mar 2025
⭐ This Week's Top Picks
Bruges in Choc. The largest chocolate festival in Flanders! Discover everything that has to do with chocolate, with a special focus on sustainability.
Gaming: Playtime 20.25. Step inside and discover more than 50 games from independent developers, innovative VR experiences and international installations. This year, the focus is on connection and inclusion.
Football fans: Watch a Cercle v Club Brugge local derby match in the national league.
🎨 🎻 🧺 Art, Music & Markets
Retrospective art exhibition Mistral-Melike. “Retrospective exhibition of paintings, sketches, tapestries and books. Mireille Hulpiau fuses painter Mistral and poet Melike into a symbiosis of image and word. The oeuvre can be described as surrealistic. The figurative imagery, abstract mood creation, expressive colour palette and technique are entirely at the service of literary and pictorial narrative power.” 7-10 Mar. Jan Garemijnzaal, Belfort Markt 7.
https://www.mistral-melike.be/
Dit is Ardéfoo. “Since 2008, Ardéfoo has grown into a close-knit collective of some 40 artists each with their own unique style and visual language. For the “Dit is Ardéfoo” exhibition, working with curator Florien Allemeersch, we will show a carefully curated selection of drawings, paintings, sculptures, prints, collages and mixed media. These works are complemented by unfinished pieces, projects in progress, collections and installations. This gives visitors an insight not only into the art itself, but also into the lively creative process and the special atmosphere of our studio. It is an invitation to discover what Ardéfoo stands for - a community for artists with and without mental vulnerability where artistic expression, authentic imagination and a strong sense of belonging prevail.” FREE. Until 14 Mar. Exporuimte Burg 11. https://www.visitbruges.be/en/whats-on/events-calendar/dit-ardefoo
The Art studio Ardéfoo offers workspace to artists with a psychological vulnerability. The art studio is largely supported by volunteers and experienced workers, and Ardéfoo is recognized as a socio-cultural organization by the city of Bruges. https://kunstatelierardefoo.be/
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
Transitional Dance: Workshops. “Choreographer and Dance in Bruges Maker Michiel Vandevelde is developing a new dance transition ritual especially for the city of Bruges. How do you dance for the transition from one phase of life to another? How can a dance ritual contribute to celebrating change? Vandevelde focuses primarily on hip movements for his choreography. The hips are not only associated with birth, but also with seduction, with the generation of new life.
Or as Vandevelde puts it: 'Transitional dance is a celebration of the potential of life, and especially of the potential for change during life.' He gives this dance to dance lovers who feel like committing to bring this dance ritual into the public space every month to celebrate all kinds of possible transitions. The dancers form a community that takes care of the performance and passing on the dance to others. In this way, they start a ritual that can last forever. Anyone who wants to dive into this rite of passage together is invited to follow the workshops in which the choreography is taught. These workshops are open to anyone interested in movement (no dance experience required).”
This series of FREE workshops start at KAAP, The Groenplaats, Groenestraat 19B on 24 Feb, 19:00, and will run each week until 17 Mar. To register to take part email Hanne at hanne@kaap.be. https://www.kaap.be/toont/transitional-dance-0
The Last Beach - Diego Latruwe & 8 other artists. “This season, we are once again crowning our resident artist as curator. A fascinating exhibition where his art is confronted with work by other artists. Together with nine other artists with whom he has an affinity, Diego Latruwe is developing an exhibition around themes such as decay, repetition and infinity. They draw inspiration from HG Wells, Michel Houellebecq and Jorge Luis Borges. The Last Beach is an exhibition that reaches towards the end of time. It poses pertinent questions: how do we conserve, fragment and reproduce, while the sea level threatens to rise above our heads and the world is in constant flux?” FREE. Until 9 Mar. Exhibition space Poortersloge - Kraanrei 19.
https://www.ccbrugge.be/agenda/4369/the-last-beach/diego-latruwe-en-8-kunstenaars?slash2=
Czech Philharmonic & Sheku Kanneh-Mason / Shostakovich. “Music between mocking humour and sinister gloom: Shostakovich was a master at balancing on this slack tightrope. Rising star Kanneh-Mason knows how to handle it! Whether in the concert hall, at school or in the underground club, he strives to make music accessible to all. Let that also be the credo of conductor Semyon Bychkov, who propelled his Prague formation to the world top in no time.” Tickets: €18-72. 12 Mar, 20:00. Concertgebouw,'t Zand 34.
https://www.concertgebouw.be/nl/czech-philharmonic-sheku-kanneh-mason
Weekly markets. The Saturday market (8 Mar) will be on ‘t Zand and the market on Wednesday (12 Mar) will be on the Grote Markt/Burg.
🎬 🎭 Stage, Screen, and Scene
The People’s Jury Live: A Victorian Drama. “Laura and Silke from the people's jury take the audience to a Victorian past in this brand new hall show. An unhappy soul has passed away there. Will the audience make the right choices during the investigation? The set-up of the people's jury is simple, but powerful: two friends speculate in an irresponsible way about (un)solved murder cases. Usually with the necessary comic relief. In this live whodunnit with candlesticks, costume changes and cross-examinations, Laura, Silke and the audience search for the culprit. Laura Scheerlinck and Silke Vandenbroeck launched the first true crime podcast in Belgium in 2017. Today, the people's jury is the most popular podcast in our country with 400,000 listeners per month. Criminally good, then!” Tickets: €28. 7 & 8 Mar, 20:00. Concertgebouw Brugge, 't Zand 34. https://www.comedyshows.be/kalender/de-volksjury-live/2025-03-07/
Circus: Reclaim. “Reclaim is a collective experience that completely immerses the spectator in a spellbinding ritual, inspired by rituals of Central Asian tribes. Acrobats, an opera singer and cellists move in a small ring close to and among the spectators. The performance refers to dull fears of monsters and barbarism, but also transports the spectators to a universe of beauty, freedom and balance. “From the very first minutes, Reclaim nails the spectators to their seats” - Le Soir.” Ages 14+. Tickets: €11-22. 12 Mar, 20:00. MaZ - Magdalenastraat 27.
https://www.ccbrugge.be/agenda/4336/theatre-d-un-jour/reclaim
Cinema. Cinema Lumière (Sint-Jakobsstraat 36) will be showing a variety of films over the next week. These include A Complete Unknown, Queer, The Brutalist, Maria, and I’m Still Here. 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 over the coming week including Mickey 17, Captain America: Brave New World, Paddington in Peru, Flow, and September 5. 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). There will be a local derby between Club Brugge and Cercle this weekend in the Jupiler Pro League. 9 Mar, 13:30. Tickets: https://cerclebrugge.be/en/ticketing or https://tickets.clubbrugge.be/
🍻🎶 Bruges After Dark: Nightlife
Tunng + Dana Gavanski. “Two decades. That’s how long it’s been since British band Tunng introduced the world to their ‘pagan folktronica’ on their debut album 'This Is Tunng…: Mother's Daughter and Other Tales'. Their signature sound - characterized by acoustic guitars, crackling electronics, and poetic storytelling about nature, mythology, and the human condition - remains as unique and timeless as ever.
On their eighth studio album, 'Love You All Over Again' (2025 – Full Time Hobby), Tunng returns to their musical roots, bringing back familiar sounds and even old characters. Lead single 'Didn’t Know Why' sees the return of the murderous Jenny, a figure that appeared multiple times on their early records. Wrapped in their signature warm, rustic atmosphere, Tunng sounds just as we love them best - like hearing magical folk tales whispered in your ear by the strangest wanderer at the inn, all while wrapped in a cozy blanket.
There’s a sense of playfulness in Dana Gavanski’s mind. And everyone’s invited. Her imaginative and colorful art pop exists in the same musical realm as Cate Le Bon, Julia Holter, and Tune-Yards. On 'Late Slap', her third album released in April, she infuses emotional themes with musical lightness, expressing the many facets of her personality while embracing, above all, her own strangeness - the strangeness that, on some level, we all share.'Late Slap' was produced by Tunng’s Mike Lindsay and James Howard (Rozi Plain, Alabaster Deplume) and marks a new high point in the work of this promising artist.” Tickets: €19-25. 11 Mar, 19:30. Cactus Music Centre, Bargeweg 10. https://www.cactusmusic.be/EN/Concerts/Calendar/tunng
🌈 Family Fun: Events & Adventures
Bruges in Choc. “The largest chocolate festival in Flanders! This unique event will take place on 8 and 9 March 2025 in the city halls of the Belfort in Bruges. Discover everything that has to do with chocolate, with a special focus on sustainability. The proceeds support a youth training centre in Cameroon. The highlights will be 70 stands with chocolatiers, pastry chefs and suppliers, a competition for the most beautiful chocolate egg, workshops, tastings and demonstrations.” Tickets: €5, children up to 12 years go FREE. 8-9 Mar. Belfort, Markt. https://www.brugesinchoc.be/nl/
Playtime 20.25. “During Playtime 20.25, Cultuurcentrum Brugge will once again transform the Royal City Theatre into a giant, digital gaming arcade. Step inside and discover more than 50 games from independent developers, innovative VR experiences and international installations.
This year, the focus is on connection and inclusion. Gaming is often seen as an individual experience, but more and more games are designed to connect people. This can be found in the VR experience of the artist duo Robbert & Frank Frank & Robbert and the project of artist and game developer Claire Kwong. On the occasion of International Women's Day, Saturday March 8th will have a special focus on female gamers, with a panel discussion and the Girls Make Games project. With Playtime 20.25, gaming, art and society will once again be mentioned in the same breath, leading to unprecedented experiences.”
FREE entry. 8 Mar, 11:00-23:00 & 9 Mar 11:00-18:00
https://playtime-20-20.webnode.be/resume/
Anouk’s Ducks Treasure Hunt. “The "Anouk's Ducks" treasure hunt is a children's quest in which participants search for 11 hidden ducklings in the shop windows of Bruges businesses.
The quest is inspired by the heartwarming children's book "Anouk's Ducks", written and illustrated by local artist Anouk Van der Jeught. Participants can obtain free participation forms from the tourism point on Market Square and embark on the hunt with their families. As they find the ducklings, they can record their discoveries and later submit the completed form at the tourism point to receive a surprise pack including a colouring page, crayons, and bookmarks.
The quest takes families along the shopping streets of Vlamingstraat, Adriaan Willaertstraat, Ezelstraat, Sint-Jakobsstraat, and Eiermarkt, which not only introduces them to the charm of Bruges but also showcases the revitalized Ezelstraat area after recent roadworks.”
FREE. Until 29 Mar.
Toerismepunt Markt, Markt 1. https://www.visitbruges.be/en/whats-on/events-calendar/childrens-quest-anouks-ducks
Travelling exhibition. The exhibition is based on a creative interpretation of Bohdan Hawrylyshyn's Declaration of Human Responsibilities by Ukrainian artists pictoric.ua.
One of the main messages of the exhibition is a call for other countries to support and institute Human Responsibility Day, emphasising the importance of responsibility at every level of one's existence. Human responsibility as a guiding principle is universal for all. FREE. Until 7 Mar. Huis van de Bruggeling, Frank van Ackerpromenade 2.
https://www.visitbruges.be/en/whats-on/events-calendar/traveling-exhibition
https://www.supportukraine-pic.com/
Expo Culinair - Handmade in Brugge. “Culinary creators from Handmade in Brugge will share insights into their craft and showcase what sets them apart. The focus is on the production process, with objects from their workshops, kitchens, or studios taking centre stage. In addition to the exhibition, you’ll also have the chance to dive deeper into their craft through studio visits, tastings, and demo workshops.” FREE. Until 29 Mar. Sashuis - Handmade in Brugge Shop, Wijngaardplein 14. https://www.handmadeinbrugge.be/agenda/expo-culinair
Expo Bodyworlds. Visit this award-winning exhibition showcasing real, plasticised human bodies. Explore the functions, development, and resilience of the human body while learning about the effects of diseases and lifestyle choices. Tickets: €15-19. Until 25 Mar. Site Oud Sint Jan, Mariastraat 38. https://bodyworlds.be
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 9 Mar, 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 7,8,9,12 Mar. Tickets: €6-12, FREE for children under 6. Concertgebouw ('t Zand 34.) https://ticketshop.ticketmatic.com/concertgebouw/shop
🌤️🌧️ Weather
The forecast over the coming week is mainly cloudy including some bright sunshine, with daytime temperatures reaching 15-17°C up to Monday, before dropping back to a colder 7°C. Rain is forecast next Wednesday (12 Mar).
Find latest forecasts covering Bruges at: https://www.meteo.be/en/belgium