Such an exciting weekend (especially if you are a kid)!
HERE’S YOUR GOOGLE MAP!
It’s Eco Builders 2017 on both Saturday and Sunday -this is an event for you if you have a home-project underway or are planning one: sign up for tours around project homes (both new-build and restorations) to get ideas about how it is done in an eco-friendly and energy-efficient way.
Foodies -it’s Week van de Smaak over the weekend and continuing until the 26th November. Workshops, events, markets and readings for food lovers. Here’s the complete programme in Borgerhout.
Saturday
Hij komt! Hij Komt!
Sinterklaas arrives in Antwerp! He is expected to arrive on his traditional Steamboat at Steenplein at 1pm and will make his way from Steenplein via Suikerrui to Grote Markt, accompanied by his usual jaunty entourage. This is usually a very busy event -expect crowds and possibly a fair bit of waiting to see the Sint. To be honest, I have found that the wait can be a bit challenging for the very youngest children, especially if the weather is not great (although this year it is predicted to be dry). His annual appearance and speech on the balcony of the Town Hall is expected at 14.45. This is the thrilling moment when the city learns if there are any naughty children in Antwerp, or whether they can all expect gifts this year. If you can’t make it, you can follow the action live on TV on Ketnet.
At De Roma theater from 9am it’s Kraakvers#3 – a local market for fresh goods and locally made products.
There’s a Vinyl fair at Plein Publiek from 11am -4.30pm … perfect if you are a vinyl lover or need to shop for the vinyl lover in your life as the festive season approaches.
For evening entertainment with a difference, head to Zaal Zirkus for some impro theater with Swaajp! whose guests for this show are Inbal Lori and Tim Orr who take their inspiration from photographs provided by the audience, rather than verbal suggestions.
Sunday
It’s a day of arts activities for children: Kunstendag voor Kinderen. These take place across Flanders. Here are the events in the Antwerp area. Click on ‘meer info’ to find put the costs of participation (most are low-cost; some are free), age range and whether you need to reserve beforehand.
It’s the monthly secondhand book and comic fair on De Coninckplein -in front of the library- from 10am
Unsurprisingly, it’s pretty nippy out this weekend (max temperatures 8 degrees) but it should be dry, with the a slight possibility of some showers, especially around Sunday evening.
If you have younger kids, they may like to write a letter to Sinterklaas. This is organised each year by Bpost. Post the letter(s) in special Sint letterboxes (there’s one in the Quellinstraat post office) before 29th November. Don’t forget to ensure that the child’s name and home address is clearly written on the outside of the envelope, so that the child can receive a letter back and a surprise from the Sint. You do not need a stamp. If your child doesn’t write, you can send a Babbel Brief!
If you are new to this tradition, be aware that it takes place on the 6th December and is VERY important to the children of Belgium. You can read about it here.
I was recently contacted by Sandra from Colectivo Amorika. This is a group which offers cultural and arts activities for Spanish speaking families in Antwerp, as well as conversation lessons for intermediate and advanced non-native speakers. They are based in Borgerhout and you can see their program below
De Collectie is a means by which you can give away your second hand clothing, shoes, accessories (belts, scarves, gloves, hats) and bedding if they are in good condition. They will be passed to people who need them in Belgium and abroad. You can arrange to have them picked up or can bring them to a collection point. Very handy if you are planning a clear out before the festive season. You can find more information about how this works in Antwerp on De Collectie Antwerpen site.
If you haven’t done so yet, have a read of this recently pressed guest post by Laura, the creator of the lovely Nonnative Antwerp blog, and do get in touch if you would like to contribute your own Antwerp story.
I have also guest-blogged for Nonnative. Read my restaurant review here .
Inspired to write a guest blog post telling your Antwerp story? Please get in touch via [email protected] -I’d love to hear from you.
Find me on social media, where additional events and locations are also posted:
Facebook (Events in Antwerp: in conjunction with London Calling)
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