Numerous events were planned in Brussels yesterday to mark the national holiday. In the afternoon there was a national parade including members of the Belgian and US armed forces, police and fire services. Last night a Belgian Party was staged in the Jubel Park in Brussels.
Some 100,000 people attended the concert with stars including Axelle red, K3, Francisco and Belgian Eurovision entry red Sebastian.
King Filip, Queen Mathilde and their children also attended. It had been a busy day for them starting with Te Deum mass at St Michael’s Cathedral and the military march-past on the Paleizenplein in the afternoon.
The culmination of festivities in the Jubel Park was a fireworks display accompanied by the beats of Lost Frequencies and Netsky.
Elsewhere in Brussels in the popular Marollen neighbourhood a 'Resto National' concluded the festivities: 3 tons of mussels were served to 2,200 people. The Vossenplein was the venue for a traditional national dish: mussels with Belgian fries. The dish was available for people on the breadline for merely one euro. “Every year we serve more and more dishes” one organiser told VRT.