The highlight of the new activities is
<< LIGHT WAVE >>
It’s a poetic and visual spectacle during a 4km walk through the city. Visitors are drawn into a story of fantasy, love, and warmth by a young beachcomber girl. Ostend native Maria Dorchain takes on this leading role. Along the way, stories can be heard narrated by Manu Van Acker, Titus De Voogdt, and Isabelle Van Hecke, among others.
Participants in the “Light Wave” walk will hear a warm, atmospheric story, illustrated with light installations at seven locations. The walk begins at the station and includes six additional stops featuring light shows. Stops include Leopold Park, the Kursaal, and the Ensor House, ending at Wapenplein Square.
Christmas market with ice skating rink
From November 28th to January 4th, the city center will be completely transformed into a festive Christmas market, with the Groentemarkt and Wapenplein as the central locations. The ice skating rink will move from Leopold Park to Wapenplein, and in addition to chalets with original Christmas gifts, charming restaurants and cafes will be located on the two squares. Santa Claus’s House will become the perfect location for family photos and will be housed in Chez Babette. At the Inpakbar, shoppers can have their end-of-year gifts wrapped in traditional Ostend wrapping paper.
Alderman for Business Charlotte Verkeyn: “By bringing the Christmas market back to the city center, we’re creating a vibrant holiday atmosphere that directly benefits our visitors and local businesses. With the ice rink on Wapenplein and the charming chalets, we’re turning Ostend into a magnet where visitors love to come and enjoy themselves and shop. A modified layout for the weekly market vendors at the Christmas market will be provided so they can complement each other.”
De Tijdloze
The last week of the year is dedicated to timeless music, with live broadcasts from Ostend by De Tijdloze in collaboration with Studio Brussel. Starting December 26th, Langestraat will become even more the beating heart of rock ‘n’ roll, where music lovers share stories and memories. There will also be a musical scavenger hunt through various shop windows in the city, and local initiatives will be launched to showcase Ostend music.
This year, De Tijdloze is also organizing a brand-new music event for the first time: The Timeless Tribute Festival. From powerful guitar solos and rhythmic drum fills to that one perfect piano key that silences the audience, the live music experience will take center stage on Saturday, December 27th, at the Coretec Dôme in Ostend. There, A Pink Floyd Experience, Mirage, and Mother Mercury—three impressive bands featuring top musicians—will pay tribute to the timeless music of Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, and Queen.
