After an ultimate attempt, the great wish of the Zuidbarge Oranjevereniging comes true. The royal family will also visit the village on King’s Day on Saturday where the only Orange association in Emmen is celebrating an anniversary party.
In the DVHN podcast Kroon op Emmen, podcast maker Bas Louissen speaks with chairman Gerald Mulder. “Our absolute dream comes true.” Curious about all the reactions? Listen to the fourth episode of the podcast here.
You can also find the podcast at Spotify , Apple Podcasts , Podimo or in your favorite podcast app.
Joking speculation
For years, the members of the Oranjevereniging Zuidbarge have speculated – while enjoying a drink – about the possibility that the king would celebrate his birthday in Emmen. And if that were to happen, the king could also pay a visit to the village hall of Zuidbarge.
When it turned out that the choice actually fell on Emmen, those joking speculations turned into a serious wish. Welcoming the king to Zuidbarge would be a nice gift for the association that has existed for 75 years. But that soon turned out to be difficult, because of safety.
The Orange Association was offered a prominent place in the Emmer center, but turned it down to celebrate in their own village. They prefer to celebrate the anniversary as they always do: on their own field with their own people.
Dream remained standing
The great dream of a visit by the king to Zuidbarge remained intact. Everything was done to ensure that the royal family bus drove through the village. The association announced through various media channels and to the organizer, the municipality of Emmen, that the Oranjes are very welcome. “Everyone who wanted to hear it at the town hall heard it,” says Gerald Mulder, chairman of the Orange Association.
That ultimate attempt now appears to be successful. The king comes to Zuidbarge.
They preferred to let him taste their famous meatball with vegetable soup in the village hall. But that is not possible, for safety reasons. However, the Orange Association will have the opportunity to wave to the royal family on the bus. “We are still discussing how to greet him in a fun way,” Mulder said.
Crown on Emmen
In the podcast Kroon op Emmen, podcast maker Bas Louissen looks for the stories behind the King’s Day visit to Emmen. He recorded the last episode during the royal family’s visit to Emmen. Will Bas still get to speak to the king?
Listen to all episodes below. You can also find the podcast at Spotify , Apple Podcasts , Podimo or in your favorite podcast app.
Tags: dream Oranjevereniging Emmen true king Zuidbarge Kings Day
