In 2023, the Drentse Wandel 4-day Odoorn will not take place during the Ascension weekend. Due to work at the usual start and finish location, it is not possible for the organizers to have the event held in that weekend.
“It’s just not feasible,” says Jan Eggens, secretary of the Walking 4 Days. “The entire site is being overhauled, which means that we have to organize things differently.” For example, according to Eggens, parking at the start and end points was always a matter of course, but the work has turned this into quite a puzzle.
This is not the only problem the Four Days Marches has to deal with. “What we also have to deal with is a shortage of volunteers,” says Eggens. “We just don’t have enough hands to do everything right.”
The organization is looking for alternatives to the 4-day Walk. “Think, for example, of a two-day event, or joining another event. Then you can divide the work,” says Eggens. The organization still wants to sit down with the municipality, catering and tourism Drenthe to see what options are still available. “The four-day event puts Odoorn and the region on the map. It would be a pity if we could no longer organize such a great event after 32 editions,” says Eggens.