The initial idea behind the Couleur Café Festival was to make a tribute to African and Caribbean rhythms and to introduce artists that play ethnic music. Today, the festival brings together soul and funk music, hip-hop and reggae, blues and salsa, ska and other contemporary genres inspired by ethnic music. Every year, around 70,000 festival-goers come to Brussels to take part in the vibrant and exotic event. The festival used to be held in Tour & Taxis, a former train station. In 2017, it moved to the Ossegempark, a picturesque park near the Atomium.
Since 1990, visitors to Couleur Café have been enjoying the diversity and connection between different music styles and cultures. World-class stars such as Wu-Tang Clan, Busta Rhymes, Cypress Hill, Cesaria Evora, Goran Bregovich, Ben Howard, and many others have performed at Couleur Café.
It is not only the concerts that attract visitors to Couleur Café, though. Various outdoor activities, street food spots, cosy chill-out zones, bars, dance workshops, craft markets, and art installations contribute to the festival atmosphere.
