Events 2014-2015

FLANDERS FIELDS

EVENTS 100 jaar Groote Oorlog

2014 - 2015

THE GREAT WAR

CENTENARY www.flandersfields.be

2014

15/8/14 – 15/12/14

01/11/2013 – 30/06/2014 Ieper, In Flanders Fields Museum

The story of the ‘Old Contemptibles’ is brought to life in a unique exhibition. > www.passchendaele.be > T. +32 (0)51 77 04 41

EXHIBITION ‘THE OLD CONTEMPTIBLES’

THEMED EXHIBITION ‘WAR AND TRAUMA’: SOLDIERS AND AMBULANCES Major themed exhibition in collaboration with the Museum Dr. Guislain in Ghent. The exhibition highlights the moving and often tragic medical aspects of war and conflict. > www.inflandersfields.be > T. +32 (0)57 23 92 20

25/04/2014

Zonnebeke

ANZAC DAY CEREMONY The sacrifices of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps are remembered at a dawn service at 6.00 a.m. in Buttes New British Cemetery, followed by breakfast for all the participants. > www.passchendaele.be > T. +32 (0)51 77 04 41

25/04/2014 – 27/04/2014

Mesen

OPENING WEEKEND HOUSE OF CULTURE AND TOURISM, MESEN During the opening weekend of this new tourist information point in Mesen a new permanent exhibition about the Great War will be opened. The Battle of Mesen (Messines) and the role played in it by troops from New Zealand are the central theme of this exhibition. > www.mesen.be > T. +32 (0)57 22 17 14

04/07/2014

Ieper

CARILLON FESTIVAL Festival with the participation of war memorial bell-ringers. > www.visitypres.be > T. +32 (0)57 23 92 20

16/08/2014 – 17/08/2014

Zonnebeke

PASSCHENDAELE MEMORIAL CRICKET CUP (TO BE CONFIRMED) International cricket teams will take part in the first ‘Passchendaele Memorial Cricket Cup’. In 1914, the national cricket competition in England was suspended, so that hundreds of players could enlist in the armed forces. > www.passchendaele.be > T. +32 (0)51 77 04 41

6/09/2014 – 5/09/2015

Zonnebeke, Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917

Poperinge

L.69 _ THE RAILWAY LINE FROM POPERINGE TO HAZEBROUCK A tangled logistical network of railway lines and sidings, linked to the transport stories of troops, munitions, refugees, stores, the sick and the wounded. An event with just as many different branches as the railway: open-air exposition, diorama and a mobile app. > www.lijssenthoek.be/en > T. +32 (0)57 34 66 76

01/10/2014 – 04/01/2015 Ieper, In Flanders Fields Museum

HISTORIC EXHIBITION ‘THE BATTLE OF THE YSER AND THE FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES’ PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION ‘RETROSPECTIVE MAURICE AND ROBERT ANTONY’ The museum is organizing a historical exhibition that focuses on the Battle of the Ijzer and the First Battle of Ieper. This will run concurrently with a retrospective photographic exhibition of the work of Maurice and Robert Antony. > www.inflandersfields.be > T. +32 (0)57 23 92 20

10/10/2014 – 15/11/2018 Diksmuide, Museum on the IJzer

EXHIBITION: ‘THE BATTLE OF THE IJZER AND THE BATTLE OF DIKSMUIDE’ The Battle of the IJzer and the Battle of Diksmuide are the central themes of this exhibition in the renovated Museum on the IJzer (in the IJzer Tower). > www.flandersfields.be > T. +32 (0)51 50 02 86

17/10/2014

At various locations in the Westhoek

LIGHT FRONT ’14 & THE LIST OF NAMES 8,750 torch-bearers will light up the old front line of November 1914 from Nieuwpoort on the North Sea Coast to Ploegsteert (Plugstreet) near the French border. At the same time, a list of names of the victims of the war will be projected on three symbolic towers: the Belfry in Ieper, the Ijzer Tower in Diksmuide and the King Albert I Memorial in Nieuwpoort. The evening will be rounded off in Nieuwpoort with a concert by Arno and the opening of the new visitors’ centre at the ‘De Ganzenpoot’ lock complex. > www.gonewest.be

8/11/2014

Diksmuide

CONCERT ‘THE FALL OF DIKSMUIDE’ Numerous activities during the day, rounded off with a unique musical creation by the German musicians of Einstürzende Neubauten. > www.gonewest.be & www.diksmuide.be\toerisme > T. +32 (0)51 79 30 50

11/11/2014

Ieper

15/04/2015 – 20/06/2015 Ieper, In Flanders Fields Museum

ARMISTICE & CONCERT ‘THE GREAT WAR REMEMBERED’

HISTORICAL EXHIBITION ‘SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES – GAS ATTACK’

This day starts with the traditional memorial ceremony ‘Armistice’ at 11 o’clock in the morning, followed by the concert ‘The Great War Remembered’ at 16.30 o’clock in the Saint-Martin’s Cathedral. > www.lastpost.be

The museum is organizing a historical exhibition that focuses on the Second Battle of Ieper. > www.inflandersfields.be > T. +32 (0)57 23 92 20

14/11/2014 – 31/12/2014

Poperinge, Talbot House

EXHIBITION ‘DOVE-MYTHOLOGIES 2014-2018’ Artist Raoul Servais explores four unusual wartime myths in drawings, water colours and animatics. > www.talbothouse.be > T. +32 (0)57 33 32 28

22/04/2015

INTERNATIONAL CEREMONY OF REMEMBRANCE TO COMMEMORATE THE FIRST GAS ATTACK > >

www.visitypres.be www.langemark-poelkapelle.be

24/04/2015 – 30/08/2015

CHRISTMAS TRUCE Christmas Truce, a sudden armistice between German, British and French soldiers, inspires folk artist Alan Stivell to create new work. On 20 December the legendary John Cale will give a concert in Mesen, combining new work with his well-known songs. > www.gonewest.be (in collaboration with Flanders Peace Field)

T. +32 (0)57 23 92 20 T. +32 (0)57 49 09 41

Poperinge, ‘De Lovie’ Park

During WWI, the warning ‘Wind Dangerous’ indicated that there was a chance of an imminent gas attack. The artistic circuit inspired by this ominous warning is the creation of artist Peter De Cupere. A unique sound-and-light spectacular is part of the programme. > www.lijssenthoek.be > T. +32 (0)57 34 66 76

24/04/2015 – 15/12/2015 Ieper (football stadium VK Westhoek) & Mesen

FLANDERS PEACE FIELD - CHRISTMAS TRUCE EVENT Football competition in collaboration with the Premier League and various national football associations. On 21/12 a ceremony will be held to commemorate the Christmas truces, in the presence of legendary figures from the world of football. > www.flandersfields.be

22/12/2014

Ieper, Cathedral

CHRISTMAS TRUCE: THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT IN THE WORLD Virginia McKenna & The Voices at the Door (consisting of Coope, Boyes and Simpson, Fi Fraser, Jo Freya and Georgina Boyes) will introduce ‘The Best Christmas Present in The World’. This performance is based on new textual material from the British writer Michael Morpurgo, also known from the book and movie ‘War Horse’. > www.gonewest.be

Zonnebeke, Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917

EXHIBITION ‘DECODING THE FRONT’ A prestigious exhibition devoted to international communication during WWI. > www.passchendaele.be > T. +32 (0)51 77 04 41

25/04/2015

Zonnebeke

ANZAC DAY CEREMONY Exactly 100 years ago, soldiers from Australia and New Zealand landed at Gallipoli, which marked their entrance into the ‘Great War’. The troops of both countries came to Flanders for the first time in 1917, to take part in the bloody Battle of Passendale. ANZAC Day begins traditionally with the dawn service at Buttes New British Cemetery, followed by a breakfast for all the participants. > www.passchendaele.be > T. +32 (0)51 77 04 41

25/04/2015 – 26/04/2015

Zonnebeke

ANZAC DAY

2015 28/03/2015 – 13/09/2015

> >

ARTISTIC CIRCUIT AND SOUND-AND-LIGHT SHOW ‘WIND DANGEROUS’

18 & 20/12/2014

19/12/2014 – 21/12/2014

Ieper & Langemark-Poelkapelle

Poperinge, Kids’ Brewery

EXHIBITION ‘ILLUSTRATED BY THE WAR’ Top illustrators allow themselves to be inspired by WWI and the landscape in which it was fought.

The exhibition is linked to a digital experience route. > E. kinderbrouwerij@mail.com > T. +32 (0)496 27 96 58

Precisely 100 years after ANZAC day in 1915 and 100 years after Canadian soldiers were confronted with combat gas, internationally renowned artists from Australia, New Zealand and Canada come together in a musical remembrance project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of ANZAC Day. > www.gonewest.be

THE GREAT WAR CENTENARY

25/04/2015 – 26/04/2015

Zonnebeke

PASSCHENDAELE MEMORIAL CRICKET CUP (TO BE CONFIRMED) > >

05/2015 – 07/2015 Poperinge, near Lijssenthoek Cemetery

MUSICAL PRODUCTION ‘LIJSSENTHOEK TERMINUS’ A unique musical performance created by the Town of Poperinge in collaboration with Musicals in Flanders.

Personal WWI stories linked to the cemetery are central to the performance. > www.lijssenthoek.be/en > T. +32 (0)57 34 66 76

Ieper, Sint-Maartensplein

DANCE PERFORMANCE This contemporary dance performance refers to the gas attacks of 22 April 1915. > www.gonewest.be

9/07/2015

Ieper, centre

30.000TH LAST POST This day will be devoted entirely to the 30,000th playing of the Last Post. Since 1928 a deeply moving ceremony is performed by the buglers from the local fire brigade under the vast arch of the Menin Gate, every evening at 8 pm.

The 30.000th Last Post will be a ‘tribute to the tribute’ event. > www.gonewest.be

9/07/2015

Ieper

ARMISTICE & CONCERT ‘THE GREAT WAR REMEMBERED’

www.passchendaele.be T. +32 (0)51 77 04 41

23/05/2015

11/11/2015

Ieper, centre

THE LAST POST: SPECIAL EDITION In the evening, at 8 o ‘clock sharp, the Last Post will be played for the 30,000th time under the Menin Gate Memorial in Ieper. > www.lastpost.be

LONG RUNNING EVENTS THE LAST POST The Last Post is played at 8 o’clock sharp every evening under the Menin Gate Memorial in Ieper. This ceremony, the traditional salute to the fallen, is conducted in honour of the memory of the soldiers of the then British Empire and their allies who died in the Ypres Salient during the First World War. > www.lastpost.be

COMING WORLD/REMEMBER ME Visitors are invited to take part in this plastic arts project organized by GoneWest, by making a figure out of clay.

These figures will serve as a tribute to the 600,000 victims who died in Belgium during the First World War. At the end of the 2014-2018 remembrance period, the 600,000 figures will all be displayed in the Palingbeek provincial park. > www.gonewest.be

This day starts with the traditional memorial ceremony ‘Armistice’ at 11 o’clock in the morning, followed by the concert ‘The Great War Remembered’ at 16.30 o’clock in the Saint-Martin’s Cathedral. > www.lastpost.be

11/12/2015 – 14/12/2015

Poperinge, Talbot House

EVENTS TO MARK THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF TALBOT HOUSE The 100th anniversary celebrations for Talbot House will start on 11 December with a week of varied activities in Talbot House itself. > www.talbothouse.be > T. +32 (0)57 33 32 28

18/12/2015 – 20/12/2015

Poperinge

PIANO FESTIVAL During the weekend of 18-20 December, GoneWest will be organizing a piano festival in Poperinge, to symbolize the piano that first played in Talbot House 100 years ago. The three-day festival offers a varied programme of different genres performed by internationally recognized artists, who will also play a number of new pieces specially composed to commemorate the First World War. Amateur pianists will also be given the chance to show what they can do. > www.gonewest.be

WESTHOEK INFO: Koning Albert I-laan 120, 8200 Brugge T. +32 (0)50 30 55 00 info@westtoer.be - www.flandersfields.be

VISITORS’ CENTRE FOR YPRES AND THE WESTHOEK Grote Markt 34 - 8900 Ieper T. +32 (0)57 23 92 20 - F +32 (0)57 23 92 75 toerisme@ieper.be - www.visitypres.be Responsible publisher: Stefaan Gheysen – Westtoer – Brugge

WD/3029/2013/63 The calendar was compiled with the utmost care.

However, we are not responsible for any changes, missing or incorrect information and the consequences arising from it.

Photography: Bart Heirweg, David Samyn, B.ad