Rolle Bolle Capitol of the World
While the annual Challenge of the Lion Mud Run had to be cancelled for 2019 due to the poor condition of the course caused by this year's flooding, there are still many great events on schedule for this weekend.
“We fully intend to bring it back next year,” indicated officials of the Mud Run. Instead, there will be a “Non-Challenge of the Lion .05K.” This is the reaction to the inability to have the Challenge of the Lion mud run. “We are requesting that all participants come dressed in their best Belgian American Days outfit, colors, flags, etc.,” said festival organizers.
This silly distance of 164 feet should be a fun event to get Belgian American Days 2019 off to a great start. With registration, participants receive a race t-shirt, free beer or root beer at the finish line and toast your own marshmallow to make your Belgian cookie s'mores.
An old fashioned block party with yard games will commence at the finish line party area. You must pre-register to receive a race shirt. Car show ... The 13th Annual Belgian-American Days Ghent Car Show will be on the grounds once again.
Cars, trucks, motorcycles and tractors are being accepted. A trivia contest will be held and there will be a food stand on the site. Car-tunes will be provided by KISD’s Mylan Ray. All participants will be judged, dash plaques will be given to the first 100 entrants and awards will be handed out. The awards include: Sweet Sixteen (cars), tractors, motorcycles, Ratrods, People’s Choice, Mayor’s Choice and Best of Show.
Lots of fun
The event gets off and running with the Belgian American Days Royalty Coronation at 6:30 p.m. Friday night on the main stage. Bring your own lawn chairs. Belgian American Days will be filled with events such as the bean bag tournament, peddle tractor pull, Movie in the Park (“Moana” will be shown); softball tournament, petting zoo, vendors, fire department feed and street dances.
A “Real Pirate History” will be given by Minnesota’s Jack Sparrow at Legion Park at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
The grand parade is at 4:30 p.m. in Saturday. And of-course, the highlight of the event will be the Rolle Bolle Tournament, which draws people from all over the world.