What’s on: Summer festival last hurrahs

Yes, the big finish on 22 September is what everybody talks about. But Car-Free Sunday, which takes places at some level in many of Flanders’ cities and towns (and in Brussels in a BIG way) is just the finale in a whole Mobility Week. Most municipalities are taking part in one way or another, from car-sharing info sessions to cycle repair workshops to “Verover de ruimte” (Conquer the Space), a request to take over a parking space anywhere in Flanders and turn it into something else – a cocktail bar, a garden, a kids’ play space, etc. Check the programme for events near you. 16-22 September, across Flanders and Brussels

Still hanging on to that summer feeling? Held in a district of coastal town Middelkerke, Leffingeleuren is traditionally considered the last hurrah in Flanders’ long festival summer. It seldom has the biggest stars, but it’s a place for (re)discoveries. Saturday is sold out, but there are still tix for both Friday and Sunday. Highlights of the super-promising line-up include alt rock Limburg duo Peuk (pictured) and Jordan Mackampa, a British troubadour with Congolese roots. 13-15 September, Dorpsstraat, Leffinge (Middelkerke)

A favourite for families and comic geeks alike, the Comic Strip Festival and accompanying Balloon’s Day Parade take over the centre of Brussels again this weekend. The procession of giant balloons in the shape of beloved strip characters will wind around the centre of town, and you can even watch the balloons being inflated on Place des Palais before they head out. Across the street is the Comic Strip Festival’s International Pavilion, with strip artists from around the globe on hand to talk about and sign their work. Dozens of activities spread around town are seriously diverse, from a talk by generations of Blake & Mortimer creators to designing your own playing card. Festival 13-15 September, Balloon parade 15 September