Friday 24 April 2026
Summer can now officially begin: the first ‘guinguettes’ in Brussels' parks are reopening from this weekend. Ans Persoons, Brussels State Secretary for Environment, Climate, and the Image of Brussels, attended the opening of the summer bar in the Cinquantenaire Park on Friday. It will be a jubilee year, as the guinguettes are celebrating their 10th anniversary. Step by step, the other guinguettes in the various parks will also open their awnings, providing entertainment and relaxation for visitors.
“In ten years, guinguettes have become much more than summer terraces: they embody the friendly, sustainable and inclusive atmosphere that we want in our green spaces. For many people in Brussels, our parks are the garden they don't have at home. It's about experiencing nature and finding peace, but also about conviviality and meeting others. The guingettes are an added asset that give our parks even more life.”, emphasises Ans Persoons.
The first openings will take place from Friday 24 April with guinguette Maurice at Parc du Cinquantenaire in Brussels City, and Sunday 26 April with guinguette Émile at Duden Park in Forest. In the following days and weeks, the other open-air bars will also open:
- Fabiola in King Baudouin Park in Jette, on 1 May 2026;
- André in the park of Laeken in Brussels, on 2 May 2026;
- Henri in the Georges Henripark in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe, on 8 May 2026;
- Vincent in the Good Shepherd Park in Evere, on 9 May 2026.
Following the new tender, Leefmilieu Brussels has appointed BARC as operator, a firm partner since the project's inception.
10 years of success and good times
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The guinguette initiative, launched in Duden Park as part of the PARK DESIGN 2016 project, has grown into a great public success over the years and has now expanded to 6 Brussels parks. Guinguettes are now an integral part of our park culture.
The range of outdoor cafés is becoming increasingly comprehensive. In some guinguettes, play libraries are being set up where children can borrow toys, and bicycle repair stations are being installed. Numerous free activities are organised together with residents and local associations: creative workshops such as repair cafés, a plant exchange, acoustic concerts, dance and yoga classes, board games and pétanque tournaments. The anniversary year promises to be lively. The programme will be announced via the guinguettes.
A sustainable and local supply
On a culinary level, the guinguettes continue to focus on quality, with healthy, organic, and local products. Operator BARC also received two Good Food awards last year thanks to its efforts in short-chain sourcing and collaboration with various local suppliers.
The logistical supply of products and other necessities is organised sustainably, including through a partnership with the cooperative Urbike for deliveries using cargo bikes. Waste reduction remains a priority, with particular attention paid to reuse and recycling.
The guinguettes are open 7 days a week, from 11 am to 10 pm.
