St. Patrick’s Day fever is about to sweep through bars in Belgium this weekend.
It is in the Irish pubs here where St. Patrick’s Day really comes to life so that means stacking up on that famous Irish drink: Guinness.
Guinness is an Irish icon, but it also has a deep history in Belgium. Eighty years ago, John Martin made a bold request: to create an exclusive cuvée for the Belgian market.
The result is Guinness Special Export, a more intense and slightly sweeter stout, which is specially designed to appeal to Belgian palates. Brewed in Ireland but created for Belgium, it was the first Guinness to be served on the continent after World War II. To this day, it remains a source of national pride, distributed by the same family for a century.
Of course, there are lots going on in Brussels to mark the day of Ireland’s patron saint.
On the day itself- 17 March – there is a big parade through the streets of the city, starting at 1pm at Les Halles Saint Géry Cultural Centre which continues to the City Hall, Grand Place with presentation of the Kinsale Shamrock Bowl to the City of Brussels and music recitals.
You get the chance to exercise your creativity with Irish American artist Sarah Burton Whicker as she leads a Celtic crafting workshop. Kids of all ages are welcome to make a pin, necklace, hat, or hairpiece to get parade ready. Adults are invited to join the fun and make paper Celtic knots.
From 5pm to 6.30pm, the Cork jazz festival club of Brussels will perform with LJM Street Band (Lazy Jazzmen) followed by Dénes Dosztán with a jazz and ragtime session. Everyone is welcome and admission is free.
There is also a special dressing of the famous Mannekin Pis, one of Europe’s most visited statues and a national treasure of Belgium(in green of course).
This year, the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations will take on an even more special dimension in Waterloo.
On Friday, March 14, the Ferme de Mont-Saint-Jean, at Waterloo, will host the Celtic Rock Festival, an evening where “tradition and modernity meet.”
On the programme are energetic performances by JenliSisters and Those F****** Bells, Guinness Burgers and, of course, the iconic black beer.
More info:
Ferme de Mont-Saint-Jean
Chaussée de Charleroi, 591
1410 Waterloo
