King’s Night Starts Today, With Municipality Deploying Crowd Management Specialists for Tomorrow’s Celebrations
King’s Night Starts Today, With Municipality Deploying Crowd Management Specialists for Tomorrow’s Celebrations
Groningen is gearing up to celebrate King Willem-Alexander's birthday with a weekend filled with many events and entertainment for all ages. From Friday evening to Saturday, the city will come alive with music, markets, and community celebrations.
Friday: 'Heroes of Orange' Party at Stadspark
The festivities kick off on Friday with the 'Heroes of Orange' party at the Stadspark event area. Starting at 5 p.m., attendees can enjoy performances by artists including Snollebollekes, Jannes, Tino Martin, and Paul Elstak.
Saturday: King's Day Festivities
On the actual King's Day, the celebrations continue with various events throughout Groningen:
Kingsland Music Festival: Starting at 1 p.m. at the Stadspark event area, the Kingsland music festival will feature performances by artists such as Kraantje Pappie, Davina Michelle, and La Fuente.
King's Day at Vismarkt: Organized by the General Orange Association Oranje Nassau, King's Day at the Vismarkt promises an evening of entertainment. From 8:15 p.m. onwards, enjoy performances by the Abba Experience, DJ Nick, DJ Julian, and more.
Free Markets: Throughout the day, free markets will take place in various neighbourhoods, including the Singels, Westerhaven, Haren, Ten Boer, and Hoogkerk. Explore the stalls, browse unique finds, and soak in the lively atmosphere of community gatherings.
Live Music: As the city buzzes with excitement, live music will fill the streets and squares of Groningen. From impromptu performances to scheduled gigs, there's no shortage of musical entertainment to enjoy.
Ensuring Safety and Smooth Flow
The municipality of Groningen is not implementing specific crowd measures for King's Day and King's Night due to the absence of a stage on Poeleplein. However, additional crowd management specialists are being deployed to ensure safety. This decision follows the cancellation of a party on Poeleplein by catering entrepreneurs due to safety concerns.
Despite this, other events and initiatives are planned in different parts of the city. While visitor numbers are difficult to estimate, measures are in place to manage crowds effectively, with security personnel and crowd management specialists monitoring the situation closely.
'We are taking measures to promote a smooth and safe flow. We deploy additional security personnel and crowd management specialists, who are trained to efficiently manage large crowd flows. In this way, the situation in the city is continuously monitored.'
Hans Coenraads - Municipality of Groningen