In Groot-Zonnebeke a lot of ceremonies and other activities take place between November 8th and 12th 2017. The Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917, the municipality of Zonnebeke and the GPS 1917 vzw commemorate, in collaboration with the Canadian and Flemish Government, the Canadian capture of the ruins of Passchendaele on 10 November 1917. These commemorations form the end of the commemoration period ‘100 years battle of Passchendaele’ which started on 29 July. 

A Canadian delegation participates in several ceremonies in Zonnebeke, Ypres and Langemark-Poelkapelle. The official ceremonies in Zonnebeke begin with the inauguration of the Canada Gate and a ceremony at sunset at the Crest Farm Canadian Memorial on 9 November. The next day there is a big ceremony at CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery. 

Closing ceremony and concert 'Passchendaele: The end of the Road'

As part of the annual tradition, the Passchendaele Ceremony will be held on 10 November at Crest Farm in Passendale. The figurehead of this commemoration is Willem Vangheluwe, an emigrant from Roeselare. The ceremony starts at 6 pm followed by a torch parade along the Canadalaan. The parade follows the path of the last bloody 600 meters of the attack and ends at the Passendale church. On the occasion of  '100 years Battle of Passchendaele' the ceremony, this year, received the title 'Passchendaele: The End of the Road'. After the ceremony there is a free outdoor reception for the participants in the market square. At 8:30 pm, a concert by the same name takes place in the Passendale church. More information about the tickets at www.passchendaele2017.org. 

Opening of remembrance garden and closing of Zonnebeke Church Dugout

On 9 November, the Canadian Remembrance Garden in the Zonnebeke chateau grounds will be officially opened at 1 pm. The Canadian Remembrance Garden is one of the seven gardens in the form of a poppy in the thematic Passchendaele Memorial Park. The Canadian garden contains plants from every Canadian climate zone that represent the inhabitants of all Canadian regions involved in the Battle of Passchendaele. In addition, there is also a sculpture by a Canadian artist with Inuit roots. On November 10th, the Zonnebeke Church Dugout will be closed permanently with a short ceremony. This underground site has been open to the public since 31 July. 

Alex Decoteau Trophy

Alex Wuttunee Decoteau represented Canada at the 1912 Olympic Games at the 5,000 meters. He fell during an attack on the heights around the destroyed Passendale. The MMP1917 and the Zonnebeke running association ZoLo will organise the running competition 'Poppies'Run - In memoriam Alex Decoteau' on Sunday 12 November . The 10-mile circuit includes a 5,000-meter Alex Decoteau Run through the historic battlefield with musical and visual framing. 

All information is available at www.passchendaele2017.org.