During the last week of August the Warande Park between the Royal Palace and the Federal Parliament in Brussels is hosts a lunchtime music festival that showcases the best in Dutch-language music. The “Boterhammen in Het Park” (sandwiches in the park) festival has been held every year since 1990. The festival is free-of-charge and features a wide variety of musical genres.
This year Boterhammen will take place each day between Monday 26 and Friday 30 August. The festival is organised by the Brussels concert hall Ancienne Belgique (AB). The performances start at midday and end at around 2pm.
The festival is easily accessible on public transport with several metro stations (Park, Troon, Kunst-Wet) within walking distance and numerous bus route and tram routes 92 and 94 passing nearby. For those that live outside Brussels the Warande Park is just a short walk from the city’s Central Railway Station.
This year’s line up
The festival kicks off on Monday with performances from Monokimono and Het Zesde Metaal. Pronounced. Monokimono that translates roughly as "alone is who is alone." deliver catchy beats, an energetic live show, and at times absurd Dutch lyrics.
With classics such as ‘Ploegsteert’ "Naar De Wuppe’ and ‘Tid Van Ton’ Het Zesde Metaal are one of the best-known Flemish bands.
On Tuesday Willem Ardui will bring a blend soul, hip-hop, and jazz.
He will be followed by a performance from Meau Hewitt. She fuses Dutch-language indie pop with a touch of synths, warmth, dreamy choruses, and heartfelt lyricism.
On Wednesday four artists will perform. First up is Borokov, Borokov. Second to take the state will be Babs. In her work Babs explores her mixed identity as a mixed-race woman. She aspires to be a role model for young, female, and non-binary producers within the predominantly male-dominated music scene. Next up will be Mariposa. She performs Dutch-language Latin rap. Her work draws inspiration from a diverse range of artists, ranging from Pastor Lopez and Rodolfo Aicardi to Cardi B and Isaiah Rashad.
Last to perform will be Elmer. She made a splash in the hip-hop scene in 2021 with her debut single "Je Vader." Since then, she has infused her love for hip-hop with rawness, honesty, and inspiration from the colourful world of comics.
On Thursday the rapper Deadbeat Larry will perform from 12 noon. He will be followed by Yousef 'Yung' Gnaoui, also known as SEF. SEF will deliver his brand of hip-hop that brims with sharp lyrics and a positive vibe.
The final day of the Festival on Friday 30 August will see a performance from Jan De Wilde. Celebrating his 80th birthday his year. Jan De Wilde has been performing for 60 years. His unwavering dedication to songwriting and live performances has endeared him not only to his original fans but also to their children and grandchildren. Jan De Wilde is an icon of the “kleinkunst” genre.