The King: “It could have been much less”
That was a magnificent celebration! King’s Day 2024 exceeded our wildest expectations. “We offered the King a fantastic birthday in every respect”, says Mayor Eric van Oosterhout. “The visitors and participants in the programme created a fantastic orange atmosphere. We showed our best side. And I’m extremely proud of that.”
Orange celebration for everyone
Small drawings made by residents could be seen on almost 2 kilometres of canvases along the route. King’s Day was a celebration for the entire municipality. King’s Day was celebrated exuberantly not only in the centre, but also in all villages and neighbourhoods. In almost all neighbourhoods and villages, residents were offered tompouces (a type of cream slice), street parties were held or breakfast was served. In total, almost 200 residents celebrated activities with a contribution from the municipality from the fund ‘Orange Together’.
Royal walk along nine plazas
The royal family walked along nine plazas, each with a different theme. In this way we connected the past with the present and showed future ambitions on the innovation plaza. Emmen is a city of innovation and a world leader in the field of circular plastics. NHL Stenden updated the King about this. On other plazas, Emmen artists such as Bouke, Jannes, Carina Vinke, Rosa da Silva and Daniël Lohues provided a musical party. In short, it was a festive mix of dance, music, sports, games and culture, which the King, Queen and members of the Royal family visibly enjoyed. They enthusiastically participated in the activities and competed fanatically against each other in the quiz about the history of Drenthe. The Hondsrug Drenthe section with team captain Queen Máxima won the quiz for eternal Emmen glory.
Words of praise from the King
The walk ended with a big sing-along party at the square Raadhuisplein, with performances by Daniël Lohues, Rosa da Silva and various choirs who formed one large choir for the occasion. Finally, the King expressed his gratitude to Emmen with the wonderful words: [translation:] “Every time I return to the province or to Emmen I say: This is great! And I also understand that if you’re very enthusiastic about something, you say: It could have been less. Let me tell you: This King’s Day could have been much less!”
