On the eve of Belgium’s National Day, 21 July, black, yellow and red bunting will colour Brussels once again for the annual Bal National in the Marollen, a working-class neighbourhood of the City of Brussels. The event is now in its 23rd year. Singer Belle Pérez will be present and for the first time this year, guests will be able to enjoy authentic Belgian mussels from Nieuwpoort (West Flanders).
Brussels’ Bal National on Belgium’s National Day with Belgian mussels for the first time!
Colin Clapson
Published:
The national holiday on 21 July is celebrated in style, as is customary every year. This is also the case in the Marollen, where the City of Brussels, in cooperation with a dedicated charity, is once again organising the Bal National and the Resto National on 20 and 21 July.
On Wednesday, alderwoman Anaïs Maes unveiled the programme of events for the national holiday in the City Brussels.
The Bal National is held on the Vossenplein, in the heart of the Marollen on 20 July, as happens every year since 2003. Once again, this year, the event is completely free of charge. Every year, around 15,000 people flock to the Vossenplein for this outdoor ball. This year’s line-up of stars includes Belle Pérez, as well as DJ Crazy Sir-G, FC Bokken and the sing-along duo Alec Mansion & Thom Dewatt.
Belgian mussels on the menu
On the national holiday itself, the Resto National takes place. The fifteenth edition of this popular mussels’ festival once again hopes to bring together over 2,000 people from Brussels around a dining table. Thanks to the Iedereen Aan Tafel (‘Everyone to the table’) initiative, even the most vulnerable residents of the City of Brussels can enjoy authentic Belgian mussels from Nieuwpoort – Colruyt’s Bel’Mer mussels.
Until last year, the mussels served on the Vossenplein always came from the waters off Zeeland in the Netherlands. Guests who don’t fancy mussels can opt for meatballs in tomato sauce with chips.
Brass band in the Marollen District
With the support of the Belgian National Lottery, the organisers are donating over 450 meals to people in vulnerable situations. In this way, they too can come along and enjoy the national holiday. Resto National also features a touch of music, including performances by Les Mignonnettes, majorettes and a brass band from the Marollen district, as well as Rita & Les Martins. The Order of the Brussels Moestasje, a Brussels folklore society that honours the Belgian moustache, will also be attending Resto National.