Updated on August 17, 2026 by Pierre

September in Brussels means back to school… but certainly not the end of going out! After a generally quieter August, the Belgian capital gets back into its rhythm: festivals, concerts, cinema, theatre, design, sporting events and some completely unusual events.

And contrary to what you might think, September is one of the best months to enjoy Brussels . The weather is often still nice enough to eat on a terrace, the parks are pleasant, and the cultural calendar is starting to fill up again.

So, what to do in Brussels in September 2026? Here is our selection of events not to be missed, with dates, addresses and useful links.

1.🎬 Brussels International Film Festival

Film lovers can start the month with the Brussels International Film Festival , better known as BRIFF.

For its 9th edition, the festival exceptionally returns in September and will take over several Brussels venues for nine days: previews, national and international competitions, meetings with film crews, retrospectives, open-air screenings…

The BRIFF will notably open its 2026 edition with Our Salvation by Emmanuel Marre, presented as a Belgian premiere after winning the Screenplay Award at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.

• 📅 From Friday, September 4th to Saturday, September 12th, 2026
• 📍 Several locations in Brusselsincluding UGC De Brouckère, Cinéma Galeries and Cinéma Palace.
• 🌐 Official website of the BRIFF
  ???? Instagram @briff_official

Our advice: check the program before choosing your screening. The BRIFF is particularly interesting because it allows you to see films that you wouldn't necessarily find in regular cinemas.

2.🎭 The Theater Festival – from Wednesday 2nd to Saturday 12th September

Do you speak Dutch and love theatre? Or are you simply looking to discover something new? The Het TheaterFestival returns to Brussels from Wednesday, September 2nd to Saturday, September 12th, 2026. The festival brings together a selection of the most remarkable productions from the previous season: theatre, dance, circus, performance art, and shows for young audiences. The KVS is the Brussels heart of the festival, but several other venues in the capital also participate in the program.

• 📅 From Wednesday, September 2nd to Saturday, September 12th, 2026
• 📍 KVS and various venues in Brussels
• 🌐 TheaterFestival official website
• 👉 Please note: the programming is primarily in Dutch.

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3.🎷 Marni Jazz Festival – from Thursday 10th to Saturday 19th September

The Marni Jazz Festival returns for its third edition under the banner #WILDOPEN . From Thursday, September 10th to Saturday, September 19th , the Marni in Ixelles will host a program blending contemporary jazz, soul, electronic music, and international influences. Among the announced concerts are ADJA , NAPSIS , KVR , the Federico Pecoraro Trio & Robin Eubanks , and the Aleph Quintet & João Barradas.

📅 From Thursday 10th to Saturday 19th September 2026

• 📍 The Marni
  📌 25 Rue de Vergnies, 1050 Ixelles
• 🌐 Marni's official website
  ???? Marni's Instagram

Why we love it: it's exactly the kind of Brussels festival where you can discover artists you didn't know before coming.

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4.🚲 Brussels Urban Sessions

If you've never seen a BMX Freestyle competition up close, here's your chance. The Brussels Urban Sessions take over Cinquantenaire Park from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September 2026. BMX Freestyle is the flagship discipline, but the program doesn't stop there: skateboarding, parkour, 3x3 basketball, street art, entertainment, and a Sports Village are also on the agenda.

And this is clearly one of the September events that we would recommend to families.

• 📅 Friday 11 → Sunday 13 September 2026
• 📍 Cinquantenaire Park
  📌 Cinquantenaire Park, 1000 Brussels
• 🌐 Official website of Brussels Urban Sessions
  ???? Instagram @urbansessions.official

💡 Great family tip: the festival also offers a sports village where children can try out different disciplines.

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5.🎶Brussels Open Air Festival

On Saturday, September 12th , Brussels will transform into a giant open-air festival. The Brussels Open Air Festival will simultaneously take over five venues in the heart of the capital:

• Congress Slab
• Place Poelaert
• Spanish Steps
• Place Jean Rey
• Vaux Hall

Each venue will be run by a different promoter or collective, with musical styles ranging from hip-hop to techno, including R&B, afrobeats and electronic music.

• 📅 Saturday 12 September 2026
• 🕑 14pm to 22pm
• 📍 5 places in Brussels
• 🌐 Official information – City of Brussels
  ???? Instagram @brusselsopenairfestival

👉 A great activity if you enjoy moving from place to place: choose an open-air spot first and then improvise your route. That's also part of the Brussels experience.

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6.🏰 Medieval Festival of Forest – from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th September

This is one of the most anticipated family events of the year. After a one-year hiatus, the Medieval Festival of Forest returns for its 27th edition , from Friday, September 18th to Sunday, September 20th , 2026. And it's still free . For an entire weekend, the gardens of Forest Abbey are transformed into a medieval village: knights, artisans, encampments, sword fights, jousting, musicians, children's games, shows, and a medieval market.

Friday evening is even scheduled to be a late-night event until 23 p.m.

📅 Friday, September 18: 17 p.m. → 23 p.m.
📅 Saturday, September 19: 10am → 23pm
📅 Sunday, September 20: 10:00 AM → 6:30 PM

• 📍 Forest Abbey
  📌 Place Saint-Denis, 1190 Forest
• 🎟️ Free admission
• 🌐 Official information – Municipality of Forest

With children, this is clearly one of our choices of the month.

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7.🏛️ Brussels Design September – from Thursday 17 to Sunday 27 September

Design enthusiasts should also keep an eye on Brussels Design September . For several days, Brussels becomes a veritable playground for contemporary design, with exhibitions, installations, showrooms, conferences, and events spread across different neighborhoods. Among the highlights of this 2026 edition is Curated , at Mix Brussels.

• 📅 From Thursday 17 to Sunday 27 September 2026
• 📍 Various locations in Brussels
• 🌐 Brussels Design September official program
  ???? Instagram Brussels Design September

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8.🪑 Curated – from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th September

And if you're a design enthusiast, Curated deserves a spot on your calendar. This exhibition dedicated to collectible design returns to Mix Brussels , in the former Royale Belge building. For this third edition, 34 designers and studios will present their creations in this rather spectacular venue. Entry is free, but a ticket is required.

📅 Friday, September 25: 18 p.m. → 22 p.m.
📅 Saturday, September 26: 10am → 19pm
📅 Sunday, September 27: 10am → 18pm

• 📍 Mix Brussels – Royale Belge
  📌 Boulevard du Souverain 25, 1170 Watermael-Boitsfort
• 🎟️ Free with mandatory reservation
• 🌐 Official website of Curated / Mix Brussels
  ???? Instagram @curated.brussels

The added bonus: you can enjoy the bar and other spaces at Mix during your visit. So it's not just about "looking at furniture for 30 minutes and leaving".

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9. ⚔️ The Medieval Festival of Rouge-Cloître – Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September

And since one medieval event clearly wasn't enough in Brussels, Rouge-Cloître will also have its own Medieval Festival . For the first time, the Auderghem site will be transformed into a medieval village for an entire weekend: artisans, encampments, shows, music, storytelling, and entertainment. Saturday will even extend until 22 p.m. with a nighttime atmosphere.

📅 Saturday, September 26, 2026: 12pm → 22pm
📅 Sunday, September 27, 2026: 10am → 18pm

• 📍 Red-Cloister
  📌 Rue du Rouge-Cloître 3, 1160 Auderghem
• 🎟️ Free
• 🌐 Official information – Municipality of Auderghem

Our tip: combine the visit with a walk in the Sonian Forest. It's probably one of the places in Brussels where you most easily forget you're still in the capital.

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10.🫖 Brussels Tea Festival

Tea lovers, mark your calendars! The Brussels Tea Festival returns on Saturday, September 26th and Sunday, September 27th, 2026. Saturday will be dedicated to an "OFF Festival" with various activities organized in Brussels and elsewhere in Belgium. The main event will take place on Sunday, September 27th at Flagey , with over 40 exhibitors, tea houses, producers, ceramicists, tastings, talks, and tea-related experiences.

📅 Saturday, September 26: OFF Festival
📅 Sunday, September 27: 10am → 18pm

• 📍 Flagey
  📌 Place Sainte-Croix, 1050 Ixelles
• 🌐 Official website of the Brussels Tea Festival
  ???? Instagram @brusselsteafestival

And yes, contrary to what we previously indicated, Sunday is indeed September 27th in 2026. The official website also confirms the event at Flagey on that day.

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👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What to do in Brussels in September with children?

If you're mainly looking for family activities, here are the ones we would prioritize:

🥇 Brussels Urban Sessions

Friday 11 → Sunday 13 September
BMX, skateboarding, parkour, 3x3 basketball and activities for children.

🥈 Medieval Festival of Forest

Friday 18 → Sunday 20 September
Knights, battles, jousts, artisans and games. And it's free.

🥉 Medieval Festival of Rouge-Cloître

Saturday 26 → Sunday 27 September
Another family gathering in a particularly pleasant setting.

🎬 BRIFF

Friday 4th → Saturday 12th September
Something to keep an eye on for family sessions and activities aimed at young people.

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📅 Key dates for September 2026

Dates	Event	Where ?
Wed. 2 → Sat. 12 September	Het TheaterFestival	Several locations
Fri. 4 → Sat. 12 September	BRIFF	Several cinemas
Thu. 10 → Sat. 19 September	Marni Jazz Festival	Ixelles
Fri. 11 → Sun. 13 September	Brussels Urban Sessions	fiftieth anniversary
Sat. September 12	Brussels Open Air Festival	5 places
Fri. 18 → Sun. 20 September	Medieval Festivals of Forest	Forest
Thu. 17 → Sun. 27 September	Brussels Design September	Brussels
Fri. 25 → Sun. 27 September	curated	Mix Brussels
Sat. 26 → Sun. 27 September	Medieval Festival of Rouge-Cloître	Auderghem
Sat. 26 → Sun. 27 September	Brussels Tea Festival	Brussels / Flagey

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❤️ Our InsideBrussels.be selection

If you ask us which events we wouldn't miss in September 2026 , our top picks would be:

For a family outing: The Medieval Festivals of Forest.
For a unique outing: the Brussels Urban Sessions.
For an evening with friends: the Brussels Open Air Festival.
For culture enthusiasts: the BRIFF.
For design enthusiasts: Curated at the Mix.
For a different kind of outing: the Brussels Tea Festival.
To enjoy Brussels without necessarily spending money: Rouge-Cloître + a walk in the Sonian Forest.

And above all, don't put away your sunglasses just yet on September 1st . In Brussels, summer often has the bad habit of lingering.

Programs, schedules, and practical information are subject to change by the organizers. We advise you to check the official website of each event before traveling.