User Group

You can now join us for some friendly Badminton games on Wednesdays too! All levels welcome! IMPORTANT: in order to secure your place you’ll need to both book a spot on Meetup AND pay €8 by Sunday 18h00. This is to make sure we can cancel courts if demand isn’t there, and make sure we’re being fair to people on the waiting list. Refunds will only be possible after Monday AM if another player is definitely able to take your spot Always worth joining our Whatsapp group as well for faster, often better, updates: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FTipqtyIwcZLThbw8KpQtZ?mode=gi_t

[Grab your ticket here! 🎟️ 🔗](https://luma.com/ftst5brussels) Maybe in the end, it's mostly about the friends we make along the way, and the moments we get to share in connection... 🧀 but true! **📦 WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?** FTST is an out-of-the-box **social experience** where strangers come together for an afternoon of meaningful, fun, and deep conversation. It’s also a different & cool way of meeting new people by getting a bit out of your comfort zone and skipping the small talk! Join us for **games**, **talks**, and **connections** with **friends you haven’t met yet**. Join if you get annoyed after being asked what you do, where you are from, and how long you've been in Brussels every single time you meet someone. If you feel that there are better questions in life, this is the place for you. 🙌 **📓 HOW DOES IT WORK?** We start with a short & sweet intro talk followed by a few light-hearted group games to warm up. After that, we split you up into small groups and start with the conversation rounds (with 3-4 people). We'll have awesome question cards that will guide the flow of the conversation. You'll be guided by an experienced host who'll make sure everything goes smoothly. 🍭 **🕹 HOW TO JOIN?** **[Take 1 minute to sign up 👈](https://luma.com/ftst5brussels)** Our events are **limited to 30 handpicked guests** to ensure a cozy atmosphere. **Confirm your spot on the link above** to make it happen! We prioritize a balance of gender and age. If you're invited you'll receive a confirmation within 48 hours via Luma (our ticketing platform) NOTE: We won't validate your payment unless you've been accepted! (which you most likely will ❤️) **Sold out or can't make it?** [Drop us your email ](https://epicllama.myflodesk.com/brussels)and we'll keep you in the loop for the next one! 😎 **🧧 HOW MUCH IS IT?** The cost to attend is €15 (early bird) or €18 (general), and includes the following: ⏰ 3 hours of facilitated and curated activities 🙌🏽 Access to the Llamas in Brussels WhatsApp community 👥 A space to meet new people in the least boring way possible 💛 Supporting our mission to spread human connection events around the world *(🎫 also includes those annoying ticket fees!)* **🌳 WHERE IS IT?** We host our events in awesome bars & parks across the city. *We only **reveal the location** upon confirmation.* **💛 WHAT THEY SAY** 🗣 “This is the kind of activity **humanity needs every weekend**. Thank you for all.” - *Sonya* 🗣 “F\*ck the Small Talk changes the narrative from "Where are you from?" to "When was the last time you laughed uncontrollably?" and I think that's beautiful.” - Monika 🗣 "It’s a **wonderful** **experience**, it’s like being a kid again, when you were at the park, playing with other kids, and just decided you were going to be best friends for the next hours. Maybe you’ll never see those kids again. But that hour was amazing because you both opened up and trusted each other." - Sara **[Read our 130+ Google reviews here 👈](https://goo.gl/maps/TpZy77bfPFkGoikn7)** **🤓 FAQ** **• Can I come alone?** Of course, we encourage it :) **• Can I be late?** Please don't! Late arrivals will disrupt the floooooooow. **• I signed up but never got an invite. Why?** We usually get a high volume of sign-ups yet we like to keep it cozy & only invite around 30 people. Please try again next time if you do not receive an invite - no hard feelings 💛 **• Why do you charge?** We value our time and put a lot of love, planning, and effort into creating & designing these experiences. ♥️ This is our project/business and what we give to the world and we think everything should be a fair exchange! 🎈 However, money should never be the reason for people not to attend. If you can’t afford it send us a message! **• Is this a networking or dating event?** Nope! Think of us as the\* anti-networking *and* anti-speed dating *event. There’s no pressure, no pitches, and no cringy icebreakers. Instead, we create spaces where strangers can connect through fun & meaningful conversations. It’s all about authentic connection—no business cards or romantic expectations required. (doesn’t mean it* can’t \*happen—it’s just not the intention!) 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨, 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙. ✨ \* Location is only revealed to ticket holders! 🙅‍♀️📱This event is a no-phone experience. 🙅‍♀️📱 We started in Berlin back in 2019 out of the frustration of being asked 'Where are you from?' multiple times at every single meetup! Now there are chapters in 15 cities including Medellin, Lisbon, Buenos Aires, Zurich, and London! 🗺️ \*\*\* Follow us on[ Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/epic.llama/)👈 Our [website](https://epicllama.com/fuckthesmalltalk)[ ](https://epicllama.com/)👈

Hallo Freunde der deutschen Sprache, wir laden alle, die gern ihr Deutsch üben wollen, zu diesem Treffen ein! Falls Ihr angemeldet seid, aber nicht kommen könnt, wären wir dankbar für Eure Abmeldung. Wir freuen uns auf nette Unterhaltungen und einen interessanten Austausch mit Euch!

In a series of 2-hour art workshops, I invite you to explore our core human needs through sculpting and painting as a certified art therapy coach. 🎨 We all share the same fundamental needs: emotional closeness and connection, the free expression of our identity, self-expression and spontaneity, healthy boundaries, connection with nature, self-coherence, a meaningful and comprehensible world, and an environment where fairness is present. Let’s discover them together! **🌝** **Each session includes:** **45 minutes of sculpting** **45 minutes of painting** **Group reflection & discussion** *All materials are provided.* **Register here: https://forms.gle/7huQKEdntzoRVjKN8**

Come grab a coffee and chat about startups, growth, and investing with fellow entrepreneurs, advisors and investors! This Startup/Investor Open Coffee, organized by [SIA](https://taac.startupinvestoraccelerator.com/ "https://taac.startupinvestoraccelerator.com/"), [Founder Institute](https://fi.co/ "https://fi.co") and [Adelantum Services](https://adelantum.eu/ "https://adelantum.eu"), will be hosted by [hub.brussels](https://be.linkedin.com/company/hub-brussels "https://be.linkedin.com/company/hub-brussels") (more about them below)! **❯❯ Guest Speakers include Bob De Wilde (Founder, ADELANTUM Services).** **❗️IMPORTANT:** * The goal of this event is to be more than just a networking opportunity, it's a shared learning experience for everyone. Please arrive on time so you don't miss the first questions and insights, which the rest of the conversations will build on. * NO PITCHING❗ Just sincere sharing of challenges you face and insights that might help others! **❯ DETAILS:** Building a startup takes more than a good idea—it takes the right network, insights, and support. Our Open Coffee sessions bring together founders, investors, mentors, and startup enthusiasts for meaningful conversations, shared experiences, and fresh perspectives. Each session is informal and shaped by the needs of those attending. You’ll introduce yourself, share current challenges, and get feedback, contacts, and advice from a supportive community. **❯ Who joins:** Startup founders, teams, investors, mentors, and career changers entering the startup world. **❯ How to prepare:** * Bring a notebook—plenty of wisdom is shared * Prepare a short intro: who you are and what brought you here * Think of 1–2 key challenges to discuss **❯❯ This is an in-person event, so be sure to RSVP at [https://fi.co/e/401513/meetup](https://fi.co/e/401513/meetup) to secure your spot and receive further details.**

🎲 **Board Game Night – Everyone Welcome!** Join us in the heart of Antwerp for a fun-filled evening at our board game café! With over 600 board games, drinks on hand, and a welcoming crowd, it's the perfect place to meet new people, learn a game or two, and simply have a great time. Just walk in, grab a drink, pick a game and let the fun begin! 6 euro admission fee. IG: @theplaygroundgames

https://www.strava.com/clubs/socialrunning SYNC is a weekly social run in Brussels. Every Wednesday at 6PM Parc du Cinquantenaire \| meeting point under the main arch\. 8KM at a conversational pace. No pressure. No racing. Just movement and meaningful connections. Whether you’re new in Brussels or have lived here for years, SYNC is about running together and building community. All levels welcome. Just show up. Let’s sync.

Join our next meetup on June 25th! We will have 3 talks and will share some food and drinks while networking **Location:** Infrabel, Rue des Deux Gares 82, 1070 Anderlecht, Belgium **Agenda:** 17:45 : Doors open 18:00 - 18:40 : Drinks and pizza 18:40 - 18:45 : Welcome 18:45 - 19:00 : Elastic @ Infrabel 19:00 - 19:15 : Real life never-seen-before railway project 19:15 - 19:55 : From unknown and raw to real value 19:55 - 20.20 : What’s new in Elastic v9 20:15 : Wrap up **Talks:** **Elastic @ Infrabel** In this presentation, we will explain how Infrabel uses Elastic today and how it supports our current needs. We will briefly outline some future optimizations and the integration of OpenTelemetry to further strengthen and extend our Elastic platform. To showcase how we use Elastic for addressing real business use case, we will demo a never-seen-before application build in collaboration with Elastic Belgium. *Safia Souabi – Big Data Engineer at Infrabel* *Olivier-Désiré Muhimpundu – Big Data Engineer at Infrabel* **Real life never-seen-before railway project** *How Elastic helps ensure the punctuality of rail services by detecting and correlating events in real time to anticipate disruptions, ensure operational continuity and optimise the flow of rail traffic."* *Vanessa Coeurnelle – Cyber Resilience Data Analyst at Infrabel* **From unknown and raw to real value** In this talk, Chris shares how he transformed a legacy log ingestion pipeline into a structured, scalable, and insight-ready ELK-based system. Starting from loosely indexed XML/SOAP logs with minimal configuration, the project required rebuilding the data model to handle multiple message types, complex nested structures, and inconsistent field representations. Without the luxury of a full upfront redesign, Chris adopted an iterative, data-driven approach: combining exploratory analysis with dynamic mapping strategies to progressively shape the data into a usable format. He will discuss how this led to the design of flexible ingestion pipelines, including XML parsing, normalization, and generic handling of heterogeneous payloads. The talk also covers practical techniques for managing sensitive data, reducing storage overhead, and improving query performance—such as selective data retention, hashing and fingerprinting strategies, and the use of data streams. Finally, Chris will touch on how structuring the data effectively enables higher-level capabilities like anomaly detection and automated alerting. This session is aimed at practitioners dealing with messy, real-world data and looking for pragmatic ways to make Elasticsearch pipelines more robust, maintainable, and valuable. **Bios** **Christoph Evers** is a Senior Data Scientist and Data Engineer based in Brussels, with over 15 years of experience in data systems, search technologies, and analytics. He has been working with Elasticsearch since its early days, contributing to the project between 2010 and 2012 and applying it extensively as a search engine, document store, and log ingestion platform. At OpenLex, he designs and builds advanced data solutions for legal research, including full-text search engines, NLP pipelines for entity detection and anonymization, and large-scale analytics systems. His work also includes operating and optimizing ELK-based observability stacks in Linux and Docker environments. Previously, Chris held roles spanning software engineering, data science, and R&D leadership across sectors such as social media analytics, mobility and market research. His experience combines hands-on engineering with business-oriented data applications, delivering scalable systems and actionable insights for both startups and multinational clients. He mainly focuses on search relevance, data observability, and the practical use of ELK in production environments. **Olivier-Désiré Muhimpundu** is a Data Engineer at Infrabel, where he has been working for more than three years on large-scale data platforms and data projects. He holds an engineering degree from University of Mons Faculty of Engineering and a Master's degree in Artificial Intelligence. In his current role, Olivier focuses on designing, operating, and evolving enterprise data platforms based on technologies such as Apache Kafka, Elastic Stack, and Cloudera. His work spans data ingestion, real-time processing, monitoring, observability, and platform engineering in a large-scale railway environment. **Safia Souabi** is a Data Engineer with 6 years of experience at Infrabel in Brussels. With a BSc and MSc in Physics from London, she combines a strong analytical background with expertise in building and operating large-scale data platforms for mission-critical operational and asset data. Experienced with Apache Kafka, Elastic Stack, and the Cloudera ecosystem (Hadoop, Spark, Hive/Impala), she delivers scalable batch/real-time data pipelines and optimized ETL/ELT workflows. She works closely with stakeholders to translate requirements into reliable data products, with a strong focus on data quality, governance, security, performance, and platform resilience.

Hi everyone, This coffee morning event is @MIR Concept Coffee Store! Saturday, 27 June 2026, from 10:00 - 13:00. MIR opened its doors 4 years ago, right off Place Jourdan. Doriana, the owner, is a super nice host, and is excited to have our group as her café. The café is very beautiful and has great coffee, and many yummy food options. Their Instagram channel: https://www.instagram.com/mirconceptstore/ **The address is:** MIR Concept Coffee Store Rue Gray 4A 1040 Etterbeek *** 1. The **prime time** of the event is **10:30 - 12:30**. That's when most people will be there. 2. When you enter the gallery, it's either on the right-hand side or left-hand side of its hallway, depending which entrance you take. 3. If you intend **to join past 12:00** (high noon), then there is no need to register. Just come and join! 4. **DON'T forget to cancel** if you can't join! 5. **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** **As always, feel free to follow us on INSTAGRAM!** [https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==](https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==) **THE STRUCTURE of THE EVENT:** * I will post the event on Saturday/Sunday evening for the following Saturday. * I send out a reminder to everyone on Friday. * There is sometimes a waiting list. * In case RSVP is closed (once there are 10-15 people on the waiting list), I might reopen it on Friday, depending on the number of cancellations in the meantime. * **For everyone on the waiting,** please check your status and messages on Friday evening the latest. I message everyone on the waiting list on Friday. * **Please, move to "not going" AS SOON AS you know that you can't come anymore, that includes everyone who is on the waiting list.** **IMPORTANT:** * **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** * When you register yourself, be careful not to register accidentally a +1 guest (unless you bring a guest). It happens very often. * If you have any questions then, message me. *** **A MESSAGE FOR NEWCOMERS:** *In the three years of hosting this coffee group, I have met many people who struggle with anxieties when coming to an event for the first time. Sometimes, it took them more than one attempt before being able to join.* *Occasionally, people reach out to me before the event, and I have always been grateful for that as it offers the opportunity to communicate with each other and to find the best and most gentle way for that person to join the group.* *I would like to encourage everyone who struggles with this to contact me before. It would really be too bad if you can't join us, as it mostly gets better the second or third time you come.* *In addition to that, if you arrive and notice any signs of nervousness or fear, you can always let me know right then.* **THANK YOU AND SEE YOU ALL ON Saturday!**

⚠️ **IMPORTANT: You must sign up and buy a ticket here to attend:** [https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/) **This is a curated, small-group meetup make new friends in Brussels.** Each meetup brings together 4–6 like-minded people for casual conversations over brunch. We use the Groupvibe platform to organize and ensure everyone’s a good fit. 👉 **To attend, you’ll need to complete registration via this link:** [https://groupvibe.com](https://groupvibe.com) Once you register, and **buy a ticket or become a Groupvibe member**, we’ll share the exact location and match you with your group. **Why this works:** \* Smaller groups make real conversations easier \* Matching helps avoid awkward dynamics **Note:** RSVPs here on Meetup don’t reflect total attendance. Many attendees register directly via our website. This meetup is organized by **Groupvibe**, a small team passionate about helping people form meaningful friendships offline.

🎶 UKULELE, GOOD VIBES & YOUR FIRST SONGS 🎶 Ever wanted to learn an instrument but didn’t know where to start? This is your sign ✨ Join us for a fun, relaxed, and beginner-friendly Ukulele Workshop at Pacson Music School — where music meets creativity, connection, and confidence. This isn’t a boring music class 👀 Think cozy atmosphere, good energy, laughter, group interaction, and the exciting feeling of actually playing your first songs together. Whether you’ve never touched an instrument before or you already know a few chords, this workshop is designed to help you feel comfortable, expressive, and inspired. ✨ WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE ✨ 🎵 Learn your first ukulele chords 🎵 Play along to real songs 🎵 Discover easy strumming patterns 🎵 Improve rhythm & musical confidence 🎵 Meet creative and like-minded people 🎵 Enjoy a welcoming and supportive environment No pressure. No judgment. Just music, creativity, and connection 💛 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 📍 LOCATION Pacson Music School Rue Général Wangermée 12 1040 Etterbeek, Brussels 🕒 TIME 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM 🎶 LEVEL Beginner Friendly 🎸 Bring your own ukulele if you have one! (Some instruments may be available on-site.) ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Perfect for: ✨ Beginners ✨ Adults wanting a creative hobby ✨ People wanting to meet others in Brussels ✨ Singers/songwriters ✨ Anyone wanting to reconnect with music in a fun way Spots are limited to keep the workshop interactive and personal. Come strum, connect, laugh, and leave knowing your very first songs 🎶💫

Making the new Friends after work or in your vacation.

We will be discussing Going Postal by Terry Pratchett, nominating a book for the July joint meeting and choosing the book for August.

Socializing and Networking 🛜🆕 at PLUX on Thursday. Making new friends and drinking 🚰🎈🎉🚿🌊. Everybody Welocme, locals, expats or new 🆕 in town.

Come chat about Atlassian tools and best practices at the Reynoldsburg Sunny Street Cafe and Breakfast is on Atlassian! Let's get the day started off with breakfast with your ACE Leaders! We're always excited to talk about Atlassian Products, share our knowledge and hand out swag! Come chat with us about new product news and anything you are working on within the Atlassian product stack. This is a great opportunity to come see what we are all about, hear new business news and share with other Atlassian users your questions and experiences. We'd love to see new and old friends come out to chat and learn about Atlassian! Agenda --- Moderators Kimberly Deal - Columbus Atlassian User Group Leader Kevin Stanley - Columbus Atlassian User Group Leader Greg Sprowls - Columbus Atlassian Community Leader Hosted By Kimberly Deal, Atlassian User Group Leader Kevin Stanley, Chief Everything Greg Sprowls, Agility Lead --- Global Partner Atlassian (http://atlassian.com) Millions of users globally rely on Atlassian products every day for improving software development, project management, collaboration, and code quality. Partner Atlassian --- For over a decade, Atlassian customers have come together to network, share ideas, solve problems, and find new ways to use Atlassian products. Today, more than 15,000 people take part in Atlassian community events in more than 30 countries. --- Complete your event RSVP here: https://ace.atlassian.com/events/details/atlassian-columbus-presents-rise-and-shine-with-atlassian-reynoldsburg-5/.

**The idea for this group is to build a community where men can gather together and build connections & learn and grow from each other.** How we start each meeting is by each of us checking in with our "roses and thorns" aka what are the good things and the bad things going on in your life recently? Then we will go into a topic discussion. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS** \*\*THERE WILL BE A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR NO-SHOWS. IF YOU RSVP TO A MEETING AND FAIL TO SHOW UP WITHOUT NOTICE, YOU'LL BE REMOVED FROM THE GROUP. THIS IS TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE GROUP\*\* 1. Confidentiality - EVERYTHING that is shared NEVER leaves this space so that this space remains safe and sacred. There is a zero tolerance policy for this. If a man is in violation of this, they will be permanently removed from the group. 2. Non-Judgement - we respect and honor every man’s truth so that we may receive the same from others. While we may not agree on everything, we commit to respecting every man’s perspectives and engaging in honorable discussion with one another. 3. Be committed - honor your commitment to this group and to yourself. If you attend a meeting, please commit yourself fully to the meeting. Also be committed to your own journey. When we fail, we own it & clean it up. 4. Speak from the heart - this is NOT a space to “look good”, have the “right” answers, and have it all together. Relax and know you are not alone. Be exactly who you are within the safety of this space. 5. Be supportive - This means always willing to provide encouragement to your fellow men, encourage action and momentum in each other’s lives.. Be willing to challenge each other. Be willing to hold each other accountable. 6. Participation - what you receive from this community will be a reflection of what you put into it. Period. We ask that you share your perspectives, reflect on others, and give/receive support when and where it’s needed.

**Improving Office in Franklinton** Physical location: Improving Office 330 Rush Alley Suite #150 Columbus, OH 43215 Schedule: 6:00 p.m.: Socialize, eat, and drink. Improving will be providing pizza and beverages. 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Main meeting and presentation(s). Topic: This month Chris Pazsint will be talking about Agentic Coding. How does one use CLI Based Agents, and Agentic IDEs such as Cursor, Kiro, Antigravity? How to include agentic coding plugins for IDEs you already love such as Visual Studio Code. We meet on the last Monday of each Month. Presentations are given by members and friends of this group. If you would like to do a presentation (small or large) on a python topic, please contact Central OH Python at centralohpython@gmail.com

Our monthly PHP meetup. A virtual shindig courtesy of Zoom. Check back here for the details around 6:15 pm

**Hello Columbus!** **The community is buzzing and growing well. We are thrilled to bring our fourth BrowserStack QA Meetup on Thursday, July 9th!** We are creating a space for deeper insights, meaningful connections, and a vibe you won't want to miss. **What to expect:** * **Connect:** Network with Columbus' top engineering and QA minds. * **Learn:** Real-world tactics and trends you can use immediately. * **Enjoy:** Food, drinks, and great community spirit. **Agenda** * **Two Roads Diverged in a Wood: Docker Compose vs. Kubernetes** by **[Doug Reeder](https://www.linkedin.com/in/pdouglasreeder/)** **RSVP Essential:** Space is limited, and we want to ensure a great experience for everyone. **RSVP now to secure your spot!** 📍 **Venue:** Leading EDJE, 6515 Longshore Loop, Suite 300, Dublin, OH 43017 📍 **Free Parking:** 6725 Longshore Street, Dublin, OH 43017 📅 **Date & Time:** July 9, 6:00 PM **Stay Connected!** Want to continue the conversation beyond the meetup? Join our **BrowserStack Discord Server** to get updates, connect with fellow QA professionals, and be part of an ongoing discussion. **Don’t miss out—click below to join!** 🔗 [\[](https://discord.gg/6SdCyWTNyW)**[Join the BrowserStack Discord Server](https://discord.gg/6SdCyWTNyW)**[\]](https://discord.gg/6SdCyWTNyW) **A Few Notes:** ✅ This is an **in-person event** ✅ **RSVP does not guarantee a seat** – A confirmation email will be sent one day before the event. **TALK ABSTRACT:** Docker Compose and Kubernetes are two of the most popular tools for running containerized applications. Their feature lists are similar. Architects and senior developers need to know how their different paradigms lead to unexpectedly different experiences in production.

Early-bird coffee and conversation at [Grandview Grind](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063534163841)!

**Latest Dojo Location!** **Knotty Pine Brewing** 1765 W 3rd Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 We're going to try a new dojo location for a few weeks and see how it works Dojos are informal Python group study sessions where everyone interested in Python gathers to learn about Python, help others with Python, or just hang out. Everyone is welcome from Python beginners to experts. Bringing a laptop is encouraged (we'll have extension cords and power strips). If there's something you want to learn leave a comment on this invite so we can plan ahead. We're looking for speakers for our Monthly Meetups! Fill out the form if you are interested in presenting to the Python Community. https://forms.gle/ehSfUAC2WgR34Crq9