Zomerbar, Sloepenweg
There won’t be the usual weekend posts again until August, while Nessascityblog takes a summer holiday. To keep you occupied until then, here are some links and ideas for summer activities.
The best place to check for summer activities and hangouts is of course the Zomer van Antwerpen website, which lists free and paying events for the summer season in Antwerp. ZvA HQ is the Zomerbar on Sloepenweg, but you can also find a host of other summer bars here and an overview of events and hang-outs on the Stad Antwerpen site.
Additionally I think these outdoor events and markets will be worth checking out:
On alternate Wednesdays (third one is on 13th July) there’s an art event at Plein Publiek, starting at 6pm and going on until late. These will allow you to see inside the now-empty buildings which enclose Plein Publiek.
Then there’s Apero des Belges on Vrijdagmarkt on the 14th July from 3.30pm
…. and more alfresco drinking on Grote Markt the next day (15th July) from 5 until midnight, courtesy of Aper’eau.
Then Swan Market on Grote Markt on the 17th July from midday. On the same day, there’s the Boekenplein (second hand books, magazines, comics and graphic novels) in front of Permeke Library. 10am -4pm
… Geogekregen second hand market on Theaterplein on the 21st July.
On the 23rd and 24th July at Bocadero you can get your vintage and second hand goods per kilo (18 euros) 12 -6pm.
The lovely Hand Gemaakt will be at Plein Publiek on July 30th from 11 -5pm with local, handmade products made by creative stall- holders from in and around Antwerp.
And the next day – 31st July – SKRAP will be at Groenplaats all day from 10am- 10pm, while not far away at KMSKA you can find the monthly art fair Lambermonmartre where there is also always food and drink stalls, a band and a painting workshop for kids, and Goegekregen will be at the Kattendijkdok with Born in Antwerp.
And music…
Muziek in de Wijk (Music in The Neighbourhood) is also part ofthe ZVA program, with bands and performers coming to squares around the Antwerp area throughout summer. If you are a town-dweller, then Dageraadplaats, Krugerplein and De Coninkplein are the nearest, but there are others: check the agenda by location. Again, these are fun, community events, usually with plenty of good food, drink & kids’ spaces, which bring people of all ages and backgrounds together.
And kids …
Kids will be enjoy being taken to the summer edition of Sportopia in Park Loods (Park Spoor Noord) which returns on July 20th. The winter version of this was good -my kids enjoyed it on more than one occasion, although can get busy. It costs 6 euros per session, but is less than that if you have an A-Kaart (you might want to consider this if you are going to make frequent use of Stad Antwerpen facilities over summer) and free to under 4s, or those with 10 points on their A-Kaart. Open 10- 6pm Wednesdays- Sundays. For super-sporty kids there are some sport camps which may have spaces left.
Take your dancing 4-6 year old to Permeke library on Wednesday 3rd August at 2pm for an hour’s free dancing and movement session.
There’s no Badboot any longer, so if you are in search of open-air swimming, you will need to head across the water to Linkeroever’s De Molen Open Air Pool which is open until mid-September, ever day throughout July and August between 10am -8pm.
Also for kids there will be kids entertainment and activities on Wednesdays between 2 -5pm at Cargo Summer Bar, Park Spoor Noord.
And at Zuiderpershuis from the 18th July there’s a speel-o-rama for just 2 euros per kid (free to under 4s) with activities and workshops. No pre-registration needed (unless you are taking a group).
Miscellaneous
Critical Mass bike ride: 29th July. Assemble at Theaterplein with your bike at 6pm.
I’ll be back to post as usual for the 5th, 6th and 7th August. Hope to see you then, because there is still a lot more to come for summer 2016 in Antwerp including Museum Night, Antwerp Pride and Bollekesfeest. Don’t forget to find me on Instagram (where there are now pictures of Tall Ships, Feestmarkt, Vlaanderenfeest and Ketnet Zomertour), Pinterest and Twitter.
Additionally, if you are hear of other good events while I am away, please put links and info in the comments
See you in August!
