Egmond op z’n Kop is the annual village festival of Egmond-Binnen. The very first edition of the event was held in 1975. It was an initiative of some villagers who felt that life should be brought to life. They knew that that first summer. Instead of a day, the party lasted for days and nights.
The idea of a pole sitting competition seemed something to the Egmonders. The sun was shining, it was hot and the tourists were flocking. The participants turned out to be fanatical and the cafes remained open. The spectators sympathized and in order not to miss anything of the spectacle, they preferred to take a nap in the street instead of in their own beds.
The pole sitters persevered and even a national current affairs column came to see what was going on. After four days and nights, the last two candidates could finally be talked off their poles.
This series shows what life in our province used to be like. Everyday life and special events have been recorded by amateur videographers. The historical images have been collected in recent years by the Alkmaar Regional Archives and mostly come from private property. Some images are unique and have never been seen before.