You are cordially invited to Join us for the 5th World Wide Somsen Reunion. IJzerlo, July 7-9, 2017

The main program of the reunion will be on Saturday July 8 and will take place at ‘t Dorpshuus in the municipality of IJzerlo. An informal get-together will be organized on Friday evening. On Saturday morning, we will meet with coffee and have a chance to welcome each other. Lunch will be provided, followed by two rounds of activities. An enthusiastic historian will tell us about three centuries of the border with Germany and its effects on the local population. Learn more about your roots from our family Genealogist. You can see film, hear about music or about the Dutch sport of ice skating. Also, you may join traditional Dutch games or take a guided walk. Ofcourse there is plenty of time to meet and talk.

At the end of the afternoon the inhabitants of the Joapikshuus welcome us to visit once again our family tree that we planted twenty years ago, during our very first reunion. Also, the new inhabitants of the Somsenhuus are happy for us to visit the location where our first ancestor Roelof used the name Somsen in the year 1609. After that we head back to ‘t Dorpshuus for a diner and a festive evening program that will remain a surprise for now.

For the Sunday afternoon, we are planning few excursions. It will be possible to visit the town of Eibergen where a festival is taking place with cultural activities from the Achterhoek that include music and other art, history, food and games. It will also be possible to cruise the local Berkel river and visit the water mill. A second excursion will enable you to enjoy the city of Arnhem and to visit the Oosterbeek Airborne museum that commemorates operation Market Garden, the attempt to liberate the Northern half of the Netherlands in the fall of 1944. A more playful excursion will take you to a farm to experience fun, games and wagon rides. There is no need to pre-register for these activities so you can decide on Saturday which you want to join.

During the Saturday reunion, there will be displays of family and historical information. Other activities may still be added to the program. Please contact us if you have any ideas for this or or attributes that you might wish to display.

Please join us for this wonderful occasion. The cost for the Saturday program will be $ 28 per person. Children below 12 pay half price and children below 3 are free of charge.

Friday Evening, July 7

· Informal Get Together

Saturday, July 8. ‘t Dorpshuus, IJzerlo

· 10.00: Registration, Coffee, Welcome

· 12.00: Lunch with all Participants

· 13.30 & 15.30:

o History Lecture and Film

o Traditional Dutch Games

o Guided Walks

o Workshops and Music

· 17.00: Visit Somsen Family Tree

· 18.30: Family Diner

· 20.00: Festive Evening Program

Sunday Afternoon, July 9

· 13.00-17.00: Excursions to one or more destinations in or around the Achterhoek

Plenty of time to meet our Cousins from both sides of the Ocean