Brussels Homecoming to mark 150-year anniversary of the village 

BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN

This Civic Holiday weekend, the Village of Brussels will mark its 150th anniversary with the Brussels Homecoming, a celebration that is well over a year in the making.

The grand event is set for July 29, 30, 31 and Aug. 1, with a full slate of in-person activities set to go ahead all over the village.
Brussels Homecoming Committee Co-Chairs Dan Fritz and Mike Thomas, in the early stages of the planning process, said they really wanted to help create an event that would have people hopeful for the future as the COVID-19 pandemic wore on. They really wanted the homecoming celebration to be a beacon of hope on the horizon, looking ahead to the future. 

There will be a few early events to kick off the weekend on Thursday, including free public swimming, a beer tent and trivia night and some baseball games.

On Friday, the Brussels Farmers’ Market opens at 10 a.m., as does the Brussels Leo Club’s food booth. There will also be a ball hockey tournament and barbecue in the evening and a free public swim, followed by the opening ceremonies, scheduled for 7 p.m. 

Food trucks will be at the grounds over the course of the entire weekend.

Afterwards, the night will wind down with karaoke and a pub night at the Brussels Legion, an alumni baseball game between Brussels and Walton and live entertainment from local band Weekend Never Ends.

On Saturday morning, the co-ed ball tournament, hosted by the Ladies Slo-Pitch League, will begin at 8 a.m., followed by the Touch-a-Truck event, a vendors’ market and a ball hockey tournament.

Don McNeil’s famous shop will be open from 9-11 a.m. and again from 2-4:30 p.m. There will be a sand castle tournament at the Brussels Dam. There will also be a school reunion and displays at the Brussels Legion, as well as historic displays at the Brussels Library and a tea and social time at the Brussels United Church.
The Barry O Kids Show will run at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Kids Zone.

The parade will make its way down the main street and through the village at noon.
Megan Morrison will provide live entertainment from 2-3:30 p.m., followed by the Adam Cousins Band at 5 p.m. and the Owen Riegling Band at 9 p.m. through to the end of the night.

There will be a lumberjack show at the Brussels Dam at 3:30 p.m. and the Brussels Legion will host a drive-through fish fry beginning at 4:30 p.m. (Advance tickets are required.)

There will be a movie night for children at the Brussels Legion beginning at 8:45 p.m. on Saturday night.
The co-ed ball tournament continues on Sunday and the Brussels Lions will host a breakfast from 8-11 a.m.
The soap box derby will run from 9-11:30 a.m. and the joint church service will go ahead at the Brussels Conservation Area at 10 a.m.

The Bex in Motion show will go ahead in the Kids Zone at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., while the Little Tracks Petting Zoo will be open there from 12-3 p.m. Clown Val E. Joy will be painting faces and making balloon animals from 12-3 p.m. in the Kids Zone, followed by a clown show at 3 p.m.
 

From 12-4 p.m., there will be a classic car show and a racing display celebration stock car racing legend Jack “The Ripper” McCutcheon.

Haley McNeil will provide live entertainment at 12 p.m. and the fiddle jamboree will begin at 1 p.m. at the Four Winds Barn.
There will be water events at the Brussels Dam from 1-3 p.m. and a “Masked Singer” competition from 4-7 p.m.
The Brussels Optimist Club will host a drive-through pork chop dinner at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre from 4-7 p.m. Tickets are required. 

The Practically Hip will provide musical entertainment to wind down the evening, beginning at 9 p.m. and running through to the end of the night.

Caesar Monday will be marked from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., right around the time the Brussels and Grey Fire Departments will play each other in a slo-pitch game (11 a.m.) 

The Brussels Lions will host a duck race at 1 p.m., the Brussels Minor Ball helicopter ride draw will be at 3 p.m. and the Brussels Tigers will take on the Walton Brewers at 3 p.m. 

For more information or for a full list of events, visit brusselshomecoming.ca.