The Belgian Heritage Center is a wonderful location for experiencing Belgian culture through one of our community events or to host an event of your own.
Community Events
March 2026 Newsletter
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The burial listing mentioned on page 2 can be found at the event listing for the Cemetery Display Dedication on May 3.
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SAVE THE DATES - 2026 Events
2026 Major Event Dates:
Sunday, April 26 - Bread & Booyah Lunch
Friday, May 22 - BHC opens for weekend visitors
Saturday, July 11 - Belgian Settlement Bus Tours and History Presentations
Sunday, August 16 - BHC Kermiss
Saturday, October 3 - Great Fire Remembrance
BHC Competes in Booyah Battle
Starts: April 25, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Ends: April 25, 2026 at 3:00 pm
Join us in Downtown Green Bay when BHC defends its title as the best booyah in the land! Ten local booyah chefs will compete for a $500 first prize. Attendees will be able to sample all 10 recipes and vote for their favorite. Live music by LIVEwire Polka Band. BHC will be in Tent #3.
Event is part of Washington Street Block Party. Details are available at: https://downtowngreenbay.com/block-party
Booyah & Bread
Starts: April 26, 2026 at 11:00 am
Ends: April 26, 2026 at 1:00 pm
Join us for a traditional Belgian lunch featuring BHC booyah. The menu will include our award winning booyah, bread, desserts, and a beverage for $12 for adults, $8 for children ages 4 to 12, and free for children 3 or under. Take-out booyah will be offered for $12 per quart starting at 11:00 while it lasts. To preorder booyah to go, email contact@belgianheritagecenter.org.
Cooyah Tournament at BHC
Starts: April 26, 2026 at 2:00 pm
Ends: April 26, 2026 at 5:00 pm
BHC will host a cooyah tournament on Sunday, April 26 starting at 2:00. All skill levels welcome including beginners! Beer, cocktails and other refreshments will be available for purchase. The top three teams will win cash prizes. Entry fee is $20 per team. Sign up at contact@belgianheritagecenter.org or call Joe Alexander at 920-343-6149. For a refresher on how to play, see attached PDF.
View Attached PDF
Renee Vaughan, Nyckelharpa & Walloon/Swedish Music
Starts: May 2, 2026 at 10:00 am
Ends: May 2, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Join us on May 2 at 10:00 for a unique musical performance. Renee Vaughan is a nyckelharpa player whose great-great-grandparents were Walloon and immigrated from Hachy, Belgium, to Wisconsin in 1856. Renee will share this history alongside traditional tunes from both Sweden and Walloon areas in Belgium. A nyckelharpa (“keyed fiddle”) is a traditional Swedish string instrument. BHC will be open on May 2 from 9:00 until noon for this event and tours of the campus.
Our Lady of the Snows Historic Cemetery Display Dedication
Starts: May 3, 2026 at 9:00 am
Ends: May 3, 2026 at 12:00 pm
BHC, together with St. Francis and St. Mary Parish, will host a dedication of the new display honoring those buried at the historic cemetery adjacent to BHC. The new display area features an exhibit explaining the cemetery’s history, a listing of almost 200 people buried between 1860 and 1911 and a contemplative patio area featuring four memorial benches. This special event will begin with mass with Fr. Antonio Rex Palaya at St. Francis and St. Mary Church in Brussels at 8:00, followed by a blessing by Fr. Anthony Biredsall at the cemetery at 9:15. BHC will host an open house with refreshments and a brief talk about the history of the cemetery and the extensive research to identify those with no surviving grave marker. A photo display of the people buried in the old cemetery will also be featured. A full list of the known burials can be found at the PDF link below.
View Attached PDF
WWII Belgian Resistance in Antwerp Talk
Starts: June 6, 2026 at 10:00 am
Ends: June 6, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Ivo Abraham will share the amazing story of his family’s work in the resistance during World War II at BHC at 10:00 on Saturday, June 6. Ivo’s family traces back to Piétrebais, just below the language border in Belgium and Korbeek-Lo, right above the language border in a bilingual family. Ivo’s grandfather, Fernand Abraham, went to Antwerp to work in the port’s petroleum industry. Antwerp had a large Jewish community. Ivo will share his memories of Fernand and his story.
Door County History Days at BHC
Starts: June 18, 2026 at 1:00 pm
Ends: June 18, 2026 at 2:00 pm
As BHC's contribution to Door County History Days, presenters will cover the history of the Belgian settlement area between 1776 and 1900 and how local history was intertwined with state and national events. This period in history covers a wide range of historical events ranging from devastating events like war and the Great Fire to the incredible success of the Belgian settlements as they build, rebuilt and expand the communities we know today. BHC will open for visitors at 11:00. Docents will be on hand to share information and conduct tours of the campus before and after the presentation.
Belgian Waffle Breakfast
Starts: June 28, 2026 at 9:00 am
Ends: June 28, 2026 at 12:00 pm
BHC will serve breakfast including homemade waffles, Belgian trippe and beverages on Sunday, June 28 at the Belgian Heritage Center. Price is $12 for adults, $7 for ages 4-12, free for children 3 and under.
View Attached PDF
2026 BHC Kermiss
Starts: August 16, 2026 at 11:00 am
Ends: August 16, 2026 at 4:00 pm
BHC's Kermiss will be a great event - silent auction; antique farm implements; raffles; Belgian pie, trippe, booyah, jutt, craft beer and Belgian fellowship. Live music by John Welch Band and antique farm equipment will be on display. Please join us!
The Belgian Heritage Center is a great location to host your event. BHC’s facilities accommodate family reunions, weddings, conferences and other gatherings. Options include indoor or outdoor gathering, catering kitchen, banquet tables/chairs, audio/visual equipment and food service equipment.
Traditional Belgian food and a Belgian Heritage presentation are available on request. For more information call Julie Rheingans at 920-619-6363 or email events@belgianheritagecenter.org.