Here is a round-up of some of the exciting things to see and do in Flanders this year
Art lovers can look forward to two much anticipated architectural/sculptural triennials in Bruges and The Coast . Elsewhere, in Ostend, the birth-place of James Ensor, there’s a spotlight on one of Belgium’s most famous modernist painter . 2024 marks a special celebratory year for his work. Meawhile, beer enthusiasts are looking forward to the biannual Toer de Geuze celebrations and we bring news of what to expect. There is a report about a new beer tour at celebrated, West-Flanders-based St Bernardus Brewery. Also in West Flanders, is news of a couple of new exhibitions at the Memorial Museum Passchendaele and the In Flanders Fields Museums to look forward to. And cycling fans will be hanging onto their seats at the forthcoming annual Tour de Flanders – the biggest cycling event of the year which also marks the beginning of Spring!
Arts and Heritage:
Beaufort ’24 at the Coast
30 March – 3 November 2024
and
Bruges Triennial
13 April -1 September 2024
This April ‘Beaufort24 – Triennial by the Sea’ and ‘Bruges Triennial 2024: Spaces of Possibility’, will take place on the Belgian Coast as well as in the city of Bruges. Of the 18 installations being displayed at Beaufort24, a total of 8 will be permanently integrated into the Beaufort sculpture park after the festival has ended. Meanwhile Bruges Triennial will once again dominate the streets of the historic city centre with 12 contemporary art and architectural installations. Both triennials meet in Zeebrugge where they present a shared artwork to the public by British artist Ivan Morison. Other British artists participating include Richard Deacon and Mona Hatoum.
SELF PORTRAITS – James Ensor
21 March 24 – 16 June 2024
James Ensor House – Ostend
As part of a special year dedicated to the Belgian Artist James Ensor, Ensor House hosts a special exhibition dedicated to Ensor’s self-portraits. Ensor House is the original home where he worked and lived from 1917 until his death and has been preserved in its original state. The first three known painted self-portraits by James Ensor date from 1879. His best-known self-portrait is undoubtedly Self-Portrait with Flowered Hat (Mu.ZEE, Ostend), painted in 1883 and updated around 1888. By adding a flowered hat, he referenced Rubens’ famous self-portraits.
Cycling News
Visit Flanders and Johan Museeuw join forces at Dirty Riever
19-21 April 2024
VISITFLANDERS will be showcasing its cycling culture at this year’s biggest gravel racing event, Dirty Reiver, offering a taste of the renowned Belgian cycling scene. Known for hosting classic cycling events and producing top riders, visitors can look forward to a taste of Belgium’s rich cycling heritage. Legendary “Lion of Flanders” Johan Museeuw will be making an appearance during the event to proudly represent his region’s cycling attributes. Aside from the race, Johan will be hosting ride-outs and joining in with activities at our home at the race village.
Given that the Gravel World Championships will be held in Halle-Leuven in October this year, the Visitflanders cycling team will be on hand to give cycling enthusiasts, valuable insights on travel arrangements, accommodation, and sightseeing opportunities in the surrounding region.
Tour de Flanders
31 March 2024
Oudenaarde – Antwerp
This event is widely regarded as the spring classic that attracts the most attention. The primary objective this year is to successfully finish the entire course from Antwerp to Oudenaarde, spanning a distance of 237 kilometers, in the amateur race. The professionals, on the other hand, will conquer this challenge on the second day. Nevertheless, the 159km,128km, and 74km routes present numerous chances for cyclists of varying capabilities to showcase their expertise on the challenging inclines and cobblestone paths of the We Ride Flanders Sportive.
Flanders Fields News
Echos of War
Memorial Museum Passchendaele Zonnebeke
A brand-new temporary exhibition and immersive experience have opened at The Passchendaele Museum in Zonnebeke. These new additions will help in continuing to tell the story of the Battle of Passchendaele and its victims. The immersive experience will serve as an introduction to the battle with powerful custom-made visual displays and music created by Jef Neve. In addition, as part of the Landscapes theme year, a new temporary exhibition has opened entitled “The Echoes of War” which focuses on the landscape’s role as a witness and bearer of war stories.
Americans in Flanders Fields
In Flanders Fields Museum, Ypres
Now -31 May 2024
A new temporary exhibition entitled “Americans in Flanders Fields – Names & Places” has just opened at the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres. The focus of the exhibition will be on the presence of Americans in Belgium during the First World War and their role in the conflict.
The exhibition has been created in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution (Washington DC) and the Embassy of the United States of America in Belgium.
Gastronomy and Beer
Toer de Gueze
4-5 May 2024
Pajottenland -Senne Valley
Toer de Geuze is a biennial occasion where the lambic breweries and gueuze blending houses welcome the public to find out more about their respective breweries and watch the production of the lambic beers. Encompassing complimentary guided tours and, naturally, an opportunity to savour the delightful lambic beers that are are created via spontaneous yeasts that exist in the green belt region around Brussels.
St Bernadus Brewery new brewery tour
Watou – West Flanders
Founded in 1946, The St Bernardus Brewery produces some 5 million litres of beer each year and exports to over 80 countries worldwide. Its biggest customer are consumers from the US but continues to grow in size. Now, the brewery boasts a brand new bottling plant to satisfy worldwide demand. For enthusiasts, the brewery also has invested in a brand new brewery tour since 2021 and visitors can now go behind the scenes to discover its unique history, its product range and the brewing process as a whole via a new interactive audio-visual tour. Of course all good beer tours end with a chance to sample the goods and St Bernardus is no exception. the tour concludes with a delicious beer in its rooftop bar Bar Bernard. Bike hire, accommodation and a Beer Shop add to this fabulous visitor experience.
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