Willem-Alexander visiting Emmen fortress. Royal walking route hermetically closed to traffic

This is evident from discussions between the organization of King’s Day 2024 and a number of retailers along the route. This week the catering operators were updated, and evenings with local residents and other entrepreneurs will follow in the coming weeks.

Share shops closed

The Noorderstraat in particular will face the necessary restrictions, because this street is narrower than the rest of the walking route. Unlike other retailers in the Emmer center, some of the middle classes there have to keep their doors closed on the morning of the royal visit. This applies to the east side of the street, from the Atmosphere café to the Dames de Vries fashion store. They cannot open again until the afternoon.

Terraces directly along the route must be folded and stored before one o’clock on the morning of the high visit. This also applies to other objects. Some Emmen residents are now angry that public art, such as the characteristic Gloepertie in the old center, has already been removed.

Recently, various cameras and other equipment have been installed along the route. Some entrepreneurs are not happy that NOS camera crews want to place their location right in front of their door. Some shops and houses have already been checked for safety reasons. Drones in the center are, just like during King’s Day itself, forced to land at the request of the police.

Sidewalk chalking prohibited

Residents can decide for themselves who and how many people they invite to their home to sit ringside on King’s Day. According to the organization, visitors and staff along the route are not screened separately. However, every noticeable sound and every suspicious movement is picked up by many visible and invisible cameras. Hanging banners is prohibited. Just like painting or chalking the stones. Inviting members of the royal family to come in is not allowed.

Reaching the center on King’s Day is best done on foot; If you want to get a good spot, you have to get out of bed early. Since the attack in Apeldoorn (2009), King’s Day has been the most secure event in the Netherlands. So-called entry-restricting objects (IBMs) are placed in a number of streets. These concrete obstacles will close the streets to transport early on King’s Day and will only be removed after the Oranges have left.

Shuttle buses?

With an estimated crowd of 50,000 visitors, the day will be a huge logistical operation. The municipality wants to manage the influx of visitors as much as possible and is considering using large parking spaces outside the center to run shuttle buses from there to the festivities. The Meerdijk, near the FC Emmen stadium, is one of the areas in the picture.

The busy Willinkplein parking garage will also be closed on King’s Day. A colorful traffic map The municipality also learns that the city center is difficult to reach by bicycle, or in some places even by mobility scooter.

Free market moved

The municipality has informed residents and entrepreneurs by letter that they will have to deal with visitors in the street the entire week before King’s Day. On Monday, April 22, the construction of stages will start and the first crowd barriers will be installed. Two days later, NOS comes to pull cables for the television broadcast. The regular weekly market on Friday will be canceled and the traditional free market on King’s Day itself will be moved to another part of the center, south of the nine squares of the royal tour.

A spokesperson for the municipality of Emmen says that the organization is busy completing all safety and traffic measures and that it is an immense operation. The municipality will update everyone on April 2 during information meetings at the town hall.