Yes, you read the link right, Vanberg & DeWulf is raffling off a trip to great beer ground zero at their upcoming festival...

Belgium Comes to Cooperstown

Saturday, July 10th, join Brewery Ommegang for an action packed day of festivities honoring our favorite travel destination - Belgium.

Our friends at THE BELGIAN TOURIST OFFICE will be on hand to dispense expert advice on planning a trip. They will mount a handsome display about this beautiful little country. Belgium sports the highest concentration of art per square kilometer anywhere in the world, fantastically beautiful cities, limitless biking trails, picturesque windmills, amazing food and sensational beer.

The Belgian Tourist Office will be bringing along great prizes. We will RAFFLE off limited edition commemorative Charles V, Festival of Flanders cd’s, Belgian baseball hats, beautiful articles in lace, cooking with beer cookbooks, limited edition Tintin comic books and more including A FREE TRIP TO BELGIUM.

But that’s only the beginning of the fun.

There will also be a ROYAL PROCESSION. The Emperor Charles V, his wife and children, and his Aunt Margaret of Austria (all major figures in 16th century European affairs) will grace Brewery Ommegang with a visit. Charles Quint was born in Ghent (Belgium) in 1500. The grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, he became Holy Roman Emperor at 15. Every inch an Emperor, Charles held dominion over Spain, The Netherlands, the land that is now Belgium, Germany, Austria, Sicily, Spanish colonies in North and South America, the Moluccas and the Philippines, and North Africa. He and his armies also drove back the marauding Turks. Charles reigned effectively during one of the most complex political and religious periods in history.

The Ommegang pageant, for which our brewery was named, was first held by the Magistrate of Brussels in June of 1549 in honor of Charles V. The Ommegang is reenacted every July on the Grand Place in Brussels and is one of the most spectacular pageants held in all Europe.

Imagine turning down a narrow, winding street and coming upon Europe’s most beautiful square. And thereupon seeing no cars, in fact no one in modern dress at all -- but instead 2,000 players dressed as Renaissance nobles, guildsmen, and peasants, riders on caparisoned horses, stilt walkers, flag throwers and fire eaters. This is the Grand Place as it is transformed by the Ommegang. The square itself is a testament to the prosperity and splendor of this Brabanconne capital city in the Medieval, Renaissance and Burgundian eras. The extraordinary buildings of the square were erected by the merchants and their guilds: the bakers, grease merchants (really!), cabinet makers, coopers, archers, boatmen, millers, tailors, and of course, the brewers.

Through the good auspices of the Belgian government, the Royal entourage will appear in Cooperstown in MAGNIFICENT PERIOD COSTUMES. The Belgian government has also provided the brewery with the majestic provincial FLAGS of Belgium.

Also on hand will be eight adorable MARIONETTES from Atelier de Marionettes in Brussels in the persons of Charlier Jambe de Bois, Quik & Flupke (two kids from Brussels), Charles the V and his crossbowmen, Saint Michel -- Patron Saint of Brussels, and Tijl Uylenspiegel -- all beloved characters in the revered Belgian art of puppeteering. The marionettes will mingle in the crowd, and are sure to delight the children. Here is the story of Charlier Wooden Leg: "Charlier hass lost his leg at the battle of Waterloo (1815). After the French period our provinces were occupied by the Dutch. But Belgian people had had enough of this domination. The first troubles began in Brussels and King William of Holland sent his young son, Prince of Orange to break the liberation movement. Charlier comes from Liege to Brussels, and with cannon shoots the Dutch army in the park. After four days of heavy struggle and numerous victims, the Dutch army leaves. This happens in September 1830. Thus Charlier enters into the legend of the young free country of Belgium." Editor’s note -- None other than James Fenimore Cooper entered the city of Brussels in the wake of this battle and chronicled the first hours of the new nation.

For the delight of Royals and commoners alike Ommegang is sponsoring a display of THE SPORT OF KINGS -- FALCONRY. These magnificent birds of prey have fascinated mankind for millennia. Persians began hunting with hawks some 4,000 years ago. In the Middle Ages it was a popular sport among the noblemen of Europe. Falconry gradually lost ground once guns were introduced on the scene. Majestic EAGLES, swift FALCONS, fearless HAWKS, and mysterious OWLS -- are the very essence of the wilderness we seldom have a chance to experience. These charismatic predators can be viewed live at arm’s length in a display at the brewery on Saturday. Conditions permitting, you will watch them take flight. The peregrine falcon is listed as the world’s fastest animal in the Guinness book of records, clocking in at 217 mph.

In case all this pageantry is making you hungry, there will be BELGIAN KERMESSE STREET FAIR TREATS... hearty sausages made with Ommegang, genuine Belgian WAFFLES, real Belgian FRITES (aka french fries), irresistible BELGIAN CHOCOLATES from some of the very finest Belgian chocolatiers, and lots of cold refreshing drinks.

So come for a BREWERY TOUR and plan to spend the afternoon with us. The brewery is open from 11-7 daily. ON JULY 10TH THE ROYAL PROCESSION WILL BEGIN AT 1:00 PM. THE BELGIAN TOURISM ADVISORS, THE FALCONS, FOOD AND PUPPETS WILL BE ON HAND ALL DAY. THE RAFFLES WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 1:30 ONWARDS.

Brewery Ommegang is the only brewery in the United States dedicated to making all bottle-conditioned Belgian style beers. Its co-founders Wendy Littlefield and Donald Feinberg are the only Americans ever inducted into the Belgian Brewers’ Guild (right there on the Grand Place) in the 500 year history of the Guild. Ommegang and Hennepin are sold coast to coast and have been written up in USA Today, Sky, Food & Wine, GQ, and The Atlantic Monthly, Bon Appetit.

For further information on the event and the brewery call Brewery Ommegang at 800-656-1212. For information about traveling to Belgium, and upcoming events to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of Charles V, or the Ommegang pageant that is held annually in Brussels - contact The Belgian Tourist Office at 212-758-8130.