The summer holidays have officially begun. Do you have too much time and too little inspiration? These seven DIY tips bring salvation.
Cinema under the stars at Spoor Oost in Antwerp
“How can a holiday in Borgerhout add extra glamour?” With this question Jef van den Bergh and Arne Brickman are organizing the open-air cinema Spoor Oost in Antwerp this summer. Every two weeks there is an open-air movie selected and hosted by another local organization. The event is free, but seats are limited to 150 due to the coronary crisis. Don’t hesitate, because the first screening this Saturday is already complete.
Registration can be made via Cinema East’s Facebook page
Fun plants in Ghen
If you’ve grown green fingers during the lockdown, you can enjoy the pop-up Plezante & Exceptional Plants (PUP), which descends on Ghen this weekend. The well-known concept is unchanged: a wide range of (too) crazy houseplants that come fresh from the grower. In the pop-up shop you can not only buy plants, but also learn how to cut, feed and repot them yourself. You will learn from Plant Fliser Thomas Goyvearts where you best plant your plants and how to give them a long and happy life.
Puppies can be found in the Dock Nood in Ghent and is open from Thursday, July 2, to Sunday, July 4. More information about the workshops can be found on the website Plant-puller, the virtual alterego by Thomas Goyvaerts.
Mannequin Parade in Antwerp
More than twenty artists from Belgium and the Netherlands have joined forces for We’re All Humans, the third mannequin parade in Antwerp. This art collective has placed about fifty mannequins artistically in vertical signs and distributed them in streets and shop windows in the Old Quarter of Antwerp. In order to be ahead of the vandalism of recent years, the artworks are housed in glass shipping containers. You can still admire them all summer long. The mannequins will be auctioned off for charity after the summer.
The mannequins can be found on the We’re All Humans route, which runs along the harbour house, the Rhine quay, the Napoleonskaai, the Koolkaai 2, the Ernest Van Dijckkaai, the Hoogstraat, the Kloosterstraat, the Scheldestraat and the Bolivarplaat.
Sniffing around the drawing studio of winner Horta in Brussels
On the slightly less sunny days, Art Nouveau fans can take a look at Victor Horta’s drawing studio, which was closed for a long time due to restoration work. Never-before-exhibited shapes give you an insight into the creative process of the renowned Brussels architect. The new exhibition “Atelier Secrets” also shows the thought process of grand masters such as William Morris, Henry van de Velde and Charles R. Mackintosh. You will see simple pencil drawings grow into spectacular fabrics or extraordinary wallpapers. The 80 sketches, 61 of which are now on display for the first time, are divided into the themes of eclecticism, nature, style and geometry. It is no coincidence that the most important trends in Art Nouveau.
The exhibition runs until 27 September. All practical information on the website of the Horta Museum
Grilling on a raft in Boom
Culinary delights, a secluded lake and an idyllic table setting: these have been the main ingredients of the pop-up restaurant Dinner on a Lake for several years. Due to the Corona crisis, the concept has changed slightly. This year you will sit in selected groups at floating tables where you can enjoy a gourmet barbecue at a safe distance from each other. Afterwards you can spend the night in a luxurious teepee next to the water. The pop-up restaurant is open all summer, reservations can be made through the website. Originally, the restaurant was supposed to swim in Niles all summer long, but had to move to De Schorre in Boom due to a dispute with the local residents.
An evening with a dinner starts at 150 euros per person. More information about dinneronthelake.com
Cartoon walk in Knokke-Heist
If you are still looking for fun family trips, you can go to the annual Cartoon Festival in Knokke-Heist. Instead of the usual tent at Helenplein, this time there is an open-air exhibition with a hiking or cycling path through the coastal city. You can see about forty cartoons, all strategically located next to renovated playgrounds. Famous cartoonists such as Eva Mouton, Lectrr and Steve Michiels answer questions such as “What brings people together?” and “Why do we attach so much importance to being together?” with their funny drawings.
The Cartoon Festival runs until 30 August. You can start the cartoon walk wherever you want, the places can be found on this map. To The Scharpoord Cultural Centre is a caravan where you can visit all the information.
Drinking cocktails under the palm trees in Brussels
Palm trees, cocktails and fresh summer tunes. Jardin, a new rooftop bar in Brussels, is aiming for an instant holiday. The summer bar is a project of three Brussels residents who temporarily rent the upper floor of the old Actiris building from the anti-squatting company Entrakt. This gives the building a creative interpretation until it is completely renovated. There is room for about 150 to 200 visitors, for groups of ten people per table.
The bar is open every sunny summer day from 12 pm to 11 pm. The entrance is located in Kiekenmarkt No. 7.
“How can a holiday in Borgerhout add extra glamour?” With this question Jef van den Bergh and Arne Brickman are organizing the open-air cinema Spoor Oost in Antwerp this summer. Every two weeks there is an open-air movie selected and hosted by another local organization. The event is free, but seats are limited to 150 due to the coronary crisis. Don’t hesitate, because the first screening this Saturday is already complete. You can register via the Cinema Oost’s Facebook page during the lockdown, you can get your heart out at the pop-up Plezante & Exceptional Plants (PUP), which descends on Ghen this weekend. The well-known concept is unchanged: a wide range of (too) crazy houseplants that come fresh from the grower. In the pop-up shop you can not only buy plants, but also learn how to cut, feed and repot them yourself. You will learn from Plant Fliser Thomas Goyvearts where you best plant your plants and how to give them a long and happy life. PUP is located in Dok Nood in Ghent and is open from Thursday 2 July to Sunday 4 July. More information about the workshops on the planttrekker website, the virtual alterego of Thomas Goyvaerts. More than twenty artists from Belgium and the Netherlands have joined forces for We’re All Humans, the third mannequin parade in Antwerp. This art collective has placed about fifty mannequins artistically in vertical signs and distributed them in streets and shop windows in the Old Quarter of Antwerp. In order to be ahead of the vandalism of recent years, the artworks are housed in glass shipping containers. You can still admire them all summer long. The mannequins will be auctioned off for charity after the summer. The mannequins can be found on the We’re All Humans route, which runs along the harbour house, the Rhine quay, the Napoleonskaai, the Koolkaai 2, the Ernest Van Dijckkaai, the Hoogstraat, the Kloosterstraat, the Scheldestraat and the Bolivarplaat. On the slightly less sunny days, Art Nouveau fans can take a look at Victor Horta’s drawing studio, which was closed for a long time due to restoration work. Never-before-exhibited shapes give you an insight into the creative process of the renowned Brussels architect. The new exhibition “Atelier Secrets” also shows the thought process of grand masters such as William Morris, Henry van de Velde and Charles R. Mackintosh. You will see simple pencil drawings grow into spectacular fabrics or extraordinary wallpapers. The 80 sketches, 61 of which are now on display for the first time, are divided into the themes of eclecticism, nature, style and geometry. It is no coincidence that the most important trends in Art Nouveau. The exhibition runs until 27 September. All practical information about the website of the HortamuseumCulinaire indulgences, a secluded lake and an idyllic table setting: these have been the main ingredients of the pop-up restaurant Dinner on a Lake for several years. Due to the Corona crisis, the concept has changed slightly. This year you will sit in selected groups at floating tables where you can enjoy a gourmet barbecue at a safe distance from each other. Afterwards you can spend the night in a luxurious teepee next to the water. The pop-up restaurant is open all summer, reservations can be made through the websiten. Originally, the restaurant was supposed to swim in Niles all summer long, but had to move to De Schorre in Boom due to a dispute with the local residents. An evening with a dinner starts at 150 euros per person. More information about dinneronthelake.comIf you’re still looking for fun family outings, you can descend on Knokke-Heist for the annual Cartoon Festival. Instead of the usual tent at Helenplein, this time there is an open-air exhibition with a hiking or cycling path through the coastal city. You can see about forty cartoons, all strategically arranged next to the renewed game. Famous cartoonists such as Eva Mouton, Lectrr and Steve Michiels answer questions such as “What brings people together?” and “Why do we attach so much importance to being together?” with their funny drawings. The Cartoon Festival runs until 30 August. You can start the cartoon walk wherever you want, the locations can be found on this map. In the cultural center Scharpoord there is a caravan where you can visit all the information. Cocktails under the palm trees in Brussels palm trees, cocktails and fresh summer tunes. Jardin, a new rooftop bar in Brussels, is aiming for an instant holiday. The summer bar is a project of three Brussels residents who temporarily rent the upper floor of the old Actiris building from the anti-squatting company Entrakt. This gives the building a creative interpretation until it is completely renovated. There is room for about 150 to 200 visitors, for groups of ten people per table. The bar is open every sunny summer day from 12 pm to 11 pm. The entrance is located in Kiekenmarkt No. 7.