The European Cycling Championship was not an easy job and the promotional parties of FC Emmen also attracted crowds to the center of the municipality. It was child’s play compared to King’s Day. A true monster job for Emmen.
Rarely has the heart of Emmen been as spic and span as it is now. In the run-up to the big day, every stone has been polished, every window along the route has been patched and every square meter has been thoroughly cleaned. It was rush hour at the local hairdressers and fashion stores last week. Emmen and the people of Emmen live freshly cut, shaved and dressed up for the big day.
Fortress
From replacing the gigantic screen on the Raadhuisplein to refinishing the beautiful flower clock in honor of former councilor Zegering Hadders. For a while it was a source of contention, but now that the king is coming to visit it was all over in no time.
Frugality is a virtue in South-east Drenthe, but towards the orange day the window opens up. With a budget of 2.3 million euros, this Drenthe edition is the second most expensive King’s Day ever, behind Rotterdam 2023. This does not include the renovation of the center and a large part of the safety budget.
It has been abundantly clear for weeks that the largest national event in the Netherlands is visiting Emmen. In addition to a fresh view of the center, you will see countless cameras, smart microphones and other technical ingenuity on the facades. Security forces have already conducted some exercises in secret. Plans are ready for severe weather, mass hysteria, attacks and other disasters. Emmen is a fortress on Saturday for the monarch’s birthday.
Black clothes or orange yarmulke
Emmen has an emergency ordinance on the day itself. Those responsible for safety do not want to say much in advance about the operation. It is clear that when an expected 60,000 visitors try to catch a glimpse of the Oranges, hundreds of police, security guards and soldiers are on standby behind the scenes. Every noticeable movement is monitored from the command center.
Since Apeldoorn in 2009, the fear of confused people has been greater than the concern about groups of demonstrators. They usually keep to agreements. The municipality has already had extensive contact with organized republicans who, like in other years, will be given a place along the route. In recent weeks, local anti-monarchists have used campaign posters to call for people to come to the center in black.
It is not yet known whether attention will also be drawn to current events surrounding the climate or the war in Gaza, although Emmen does take anti-Israel demonstrators into account.
All princesses expected
The head of state and his family cover less than a kilometer through the center in two hours. Will his whole family come along? That is palace secret until Saturday morning. Last year, Princess Alexia was missing from Rotterdam due to her exam time in Wales. This weekend there seems little reason to miss out in Emmen. The organization is counting on at least three princesses.
In 2015, King Willem-Alexander made changes to the design of King’s Day compared to his mother’s approach. Since then, Princess Beatrix herself has no longer been present, just like her sister Margriet and his husband Pieter van Vollenhoven. The former queen was in Emmen last Monday for the traditional King’s Day concert in the Atlas Theater. The company that forms the royal procession consists of a maximum of fifteen members of the family.
Dear Emmen
People who have a formal role in the program are strictly instructed how to behave when they come face to face with a ‘Your Majesty’ or ‘Your Highness’. First of all, the title is mandatory, madam or sir is not allowed. The conversation with the royal couple must also not be leaked, one’s back must never be turned and hands must remain out of pockets at all times. Anyone who addresses the family in bright orange is in violation: orange bows or ties are a no-go, just like wearing a hat. Furthermore, according to the internal instructions, the participants are allowed to ‘be themselves and be spontaneous’.
After thousands of hands, dozens of musical odes and at least a hundred spontaneous or otherwise meetings, it is the turn of the king himself to say something on the stage on the Raadhuisplein. In Rotterdam, the Ajax supporter managed to charm the audience with a heart-to-heart Actions rather than words . Groningen could of course count on this in 2018 There’s nothing like Groningen . In Southeast Drenthe they expect at least one Dear Emmen from the king at the end of the high visit.
