At the big stage on Bij Sint-Jacobs, you'll find street theatre most afternoons and live music every night. This is the stage run by Trefpunt, an old beat generation café that revived the Gentse Feesten in the 1960s and built it into what it is today. On the first and last day of the festival, catch Ghent artist and father of the Gentse Feesten, Walter De Buck, still delivering his now-trendy folk music at the age of 75. (See our story on Walter De Buck, page 8)
Baudelo Park is a festival unto itself: circus acts, a spiegeltent (mirrored pavilion) filled with professional dancers gliding across the floor, a mellow Moroccan tent with rich pillows, hookahs and fresh mint tea. But the main draw of this enclave from the masses is the free dance lessons offered every day from 14.00 to midnight. Shake your tail feathers on the enormous open-air dance floor as you learn a plethora of styles including hip-hop, African and salsa.
This is one of the most happening spots during the feesten, at least for the younger set. Urgent FM broadcasts live every day from 16.00, and a different band - all hoping to be the next big thing - takes the stage at 23.00 every night.
Every night from 21.00, there's rock, disco, blues and more. Catch the Green Onions on 22 July playing vintage pop. But get there early: this is one of the few areas that will be crowd controlled with limited entry due to construction work.
Over by Ghent's castle, you'll stumble upon a goldmine of drinking and singing. Okay, the average age is over 70, but that doesn't mean it's not fun! In fact, it's a fantastic change of pace. With comedy sketch shows every day at 13.30 and cover bands throughout the day, this is an ideal place for down-to-earth good times. It's also known as the only place to get beer in real glasses - plastic is just so unsophisticated.
The walkways on either side of the River Leie are home to the Polé Polé festival, the be all, end all of the Gentse Feesten. Perfect for people watching on a grand scale, this is where you drink fancy cocktails in lieu of beer and dance from 15.00 to the wee hours. It is extremely unfortunate that the gigantic stage that usually spans the canal (to magnificent visual effect) has had to be abandoned because of construction projects. But there is still a stage and still the DJs, who start and end the party every night, with live performances in-between. Speaking of which, if you want to catch Choc Quib Town on 18 July or Lady Linn on 22 July, arrive early; this place is packed and one of those few areas with crowd control. www.polepole.be
This central spot sequestered between two churches is more known for beer than music, as this is the site of the infamous Duvel Droomschip. Start your daily ritual here at 11.00 with a live music set, followed by the Young Jazz Talent Ghent 2009 at 14.00. At 20.00, a DJ kicks the night off with 70s music, and various live acts follow well past midnight.
Watch the Tour de France on a giant screen during the day and follow it up with some classic fun featuring a capella groups, brass bands and oldies music. Plus, this is where you catch the unmistakable Eddy Wally Show (the Flemish version of Tom Jones) on 21 July. The crowd will astonish you.
New to the Gentse Feesten this year, this square will be transformed from 23 July into a peaceful oasis during the day, with sand, palm trees and DJs spinning chilled tracks from 15.00. Start by stretching with yoga every "morning" at 13.00 so that when you return 12 hours later, you are ready to join the beach party dancing to DJs all night long. www.gentbeach.be
Boomtown is back! The alt rock stage, which disappeared last year to the dismay of many, has returned. Sort of. Formally housed in the thick of things near the all-night club Charlatan, Boomtown is now on the site of Ghent's Sunday flower market, known more for oysters and chilled white wine than all-night dance fests and inebriated revellers. Still, you've got the music: local faves Barbie Bangkok play on 25 July, and Daan the following night. It's free, but Boomtown has also partnered with Handelsbeurs concert hall to host ticketed shows, including everyone's favourite Ghent-based Puerto Rican Gabriel Rios.
With antiques overflowing onto the footpaths, you'll feel as though you have stumbled onto a tiny patch of Paris. Mime, artists, and old men playing Pétanque add to the experience of nibbling croissants and sipping champagne under a bright yellow and blue Ricard tent.
A new addition this year is Festivalcafé, a free extension of the Ghent Jazz Festival. From Thursday to Sunday, 9-19 July, live jazz will flow for two hours from noon to 14.00.
Belgium National Day
Belgium's national holiday is 21 July, and Ghent's Watersportbaan (located just outside the city ring a tram-ride away from the festival) hosts its annual over-the-top fireworks display. It's massive, artistically done, and thousands of onlookers show up.
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