In the Summer, in the City

In the fast-paced world of summer festivals, Antwerp plays slow, sultry and hard to get

During the summer, most people are dying to get out of the city. Heat, humidity, traffic fumes – all of that leaves us gasping for cool breezes and wide open spaces. So how come thousands of people voluntarily decide to spend their lazy days in one of the busiest cities in Belgium? (For those of you who were wondering, that would be Antwerp.) The answer is actually quite simple and consists of those three little words you long to hear: Zomer van Antwerpen. That means Summer of Antwerp, and it isn’t just a lot of hot air.

This annual festival has become an entertainment phenomenon, attracting pleasure seekers from all over Belgium, of course, but also tourists. Aside from making Antwerpenaars even more proud than they already are, it reminds the rest of the country just how quirky and dynamic this divine little city by the Scheldt really is.

Until 30 August, Antwerp’s gobs of activities lure in the very little and the terribly mature, the punk rock renegades and the culture crusaders. Every year, internationally acclaimed acts brighten up the metropolis in various wacky locations together with established and beloved landmarks. Needless to say, there’s never a dull moment.

Whereas other cities turn their summer festivals into a short but tantalizing adrenaline rush, Antwerp likes to take its time and savour every minute. This is why the multiple genres of activities have been spread over two months, giving everyone the chance to participate whenever they feel like it. There's no rush, just countless possibilities.

Besides its historical, artistic and international allure, Antwerp has remained a fairly compact city, with an eclectic mix of cultures and districts. This diversity plays an important role in the music, theatre, circus, film and parties of Zomer van Antwerpen – a means of making sure that everyone enjoys the different layers that make Antwerp so unique.

Thanks to numerous festivities situated at sometimes unknown locations, we get to know the city – and its inhabitants – a little better. While, god willing, basking in the summer sun.

Something old, something new

Sadly, Strantwerpen, the much loved beach by the Scheldt, had to make way this year for a new bar. But the bar – in a forest – may turn out to be as popular. A cosy, dream-like oasis has been built where you order up a chilly cocktail and sip it in a hammock or underneath a giant straw parasol while the kids play in the sand. The trees are filled with hundreds of lights, making the evenings by the water even more enchanting. Oh yes, this is the real-deal feel of the summer holidays.

Another annual classic could not be halted: the gorgeous sunset on the Scheldt, otherwise known as De Mooiste Show op Aarde (The Most Beautiful Show on Earth). A special grandstand has been constructed where you can sit back and relax with friends – or a more intimate companion – while watching the orange-red skies and the sun glistening in the water. Not a bad way to end a busy day, particularly when you notice the barbecue at your disposal.

A lot of Zomer van Antwerpen is free. There are concerts on squares across town with music from all over the globe, but possibly the most popular activity is the open-air cinema along the Scheldt. Bring your own chair, plop it down in front of the huge screen and soak up the atmosphere provided by the city itself.

Movie buffs, Antwerpenaars and holiday makers mingle in the sand and relish the free films (and sweets). The movies tend towards recent releases: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Wrestler, I'm Not There and Milk are all on the agenda.

Antwerp is still talking about its festival of 2006, when French artist Francois Delaroziere, famed for bringing together artists, designers and engineers to create bizarre and beautiful mechanical contraptions for both stage and street theatre, stirred up a commotion with his majestic parade De Olifant en de kleine reizin (The Elephant and the Tiny Giantess). This year he's back with one of this summer's highlights: De Vierkante Molen, or The Square Carousel. This curious ride is decorated with giant buffalos, insects and huge fish heads that go up and down, round and round. Adults are climbing aboard at an equal rate to the kids.

For paid performances, it’s usually necessary to buy tickets in advance, but don’t let that turn you off. There's plenty to go around, and you've got two months. So order another cocktail and take your time.

Step right up

Circus and theatre – and some other stuff we can’t classify

This year Antwerp is graced by four different circus-like performances:

• Mijn Dorp (My Village) by Lang Toi who have made a poetic representation of everyday life in their homeland of Vietnam (photo above). Musicians, acrobats and a lot of bamboo were used to recreate a typical yet magical Vietnamese village.

• La Piste Là by Cirque Aital also features acrobats, only this time seasoned with a dash of comedy and a very unusual band. This award-winning French act is an ode to old-time circus, spiced up with a hint of 21st-century Surrealism.

• Un Horizonte Cuadrado (A Square Horizon) by Compania De Pasa, coming all the way from Chile, finds six trapeze artists seemingly going beyond the boundaries of their own physical limitations. Contained in a huge metal construction, they twirl downward aided by trance-like music and fluent motions, emphasising the difficulty in making connections in this world – and maybe even in the next.

• Finally, in Tabú by Nofitstate, you are free to wander about in a giant silver UFO while the performers skate by you and the music is pumping. This contemporary combination of circus and rock from Wales features videos, performance and startling surprises.

Though theatre-like performances aren’t keen to be outdone:

• Tussen Hond en Wolf (Between Dog and Wolf) takes you to the left bank of the Scheldt, Linkeroever, and is best described as a love story on the road (see photo, front page). Inspired by the movie Before Sunrise, it’s a bittersweet tale about the impossibility of a burning desire (in Dutch).

• If you prefer your weather hot and your theatre droll, try Altijd 'tzelfde (Always the Same) by Tristero. This long-running French hit, translated here into Dutch, won the prestigious Moliere prize in 1995 and takes place in a typical Belgian cafe. Family is the main focus in this hilarious and ohso-relatable comedy.

• A bit more intimate is U bevindt zich hier (You Are Here) by Dries Verhoeven, in which you enter a hotel room all by yourself and listen as a voice narrates a story about you and everyone else. As your story intertwines with those of others, you get to know yourself and your surroundings in a simple, comforting way (in Dutch).