CIRK! 2027 in Aalst, Belgium: Dates, Programme and Tickets

Welcome to CIRK! 2027 in Aalst

CIRK! 2027 runs from Friday 27 August to Sunday 29 August 2027 in the centre of Aalst, Belgium. The outdoor festival turns squares, streets and parks into stages for contemporary circus, street theatre, acrobatics and live music. The dates were announced after the 2026 edition; the detailed programme is usually published on the official website during the summer.

Highlights & Attractions at CIRK! in Aalst

• Three days of circus and street arts across many squares in the city centre
• National and international companies in circus, physical theatre and street performance
• Acrobatics, clowning, installations and live music in public space
• Most performances are free and do not need a reservation
• A smaller number of limited-capacity shows require a ticket
• A family-friendly programme, including work linked to the local circus school Studio CIRK!
• Opening and major closing moments traditionally take place on the Grote Markt

Program & Schedule: What to Expect in 2027

CIRK! traditionally occupies the last weekend of August and in 2027 runs Friday to Sunday. In recent editions shows began in the afternoon and continued late into the evening, with the Grote Markt opening often in the early evening. Exact daily hours for 2027 have not been published yet and will follow with the programme.

Since 2009 the festival has brought more than two dozen companies and well over a hundred performances to roughly a dozen to sixteen sites. In 2026 there were 94 acts across 16 locations and about 35,000 visitors. The 2027 line-up is not out yet. Expect a curated mix of spectacle, intimate street pieces and surprises as you walk the city, rather than one fixed stage.

Tickets & Admission for CIRK! Aalst

Entry to the festival and most shows is free. In 2026 a few limited-capacity performances cost 5 or 8 euros; children up to 12 could often reserve a free ticket, and UiTPAS reduced rates were 1 or 1.60 euros. Ticket prices for 2027 are not confirmed and may change. When sales open, reservations run through cirk.aalst.be and the ticket channels of De Werf.

Visitor Tips: Travel & Accommodation in Aalst

• Aalst sits between Brussels and Ghent and is easy to reach by train. The centre is a walk or a short bus ride from the station; some streets close during the festival.
• Late August is often mild, but showers are common. A light rain jacket, comfortable shoes and an extra layer are usually enough.
• Book hotels in Aalst or along the Brussels–Ghent corridor early if you are staying the whole weekend.
• Plan to move between several squares rather than stay at one stage. The point of CIRK! is the shift between large shows and small encounters in the streets.
• Reserve ticketed shows in good time. The full programme and daily times appear on cirk.aalst.be, in recent years from around July.