Despite the rain, the arrival point of Sinterklaas in Roden is filled with spectators. Many children wearing miters and Pete hats look eagerly at the empty horizon. Will the good saint come to celebrate his birthday in Roden? And did his Piets bring any presents?
“Things are not going well here in Roden. It looks like the Sinterklaas party is cancelled.” These are intense first words of the ‘Roner Sinterklaas news’. The arrival of Sinterklaas in Roden was plagued by ‘field gingerbread nuts’ and ‘sweetener policy’. The fire was stoked by the ‘juice channel’ of ‘Yvonne Roddelweijer’. According to Chris van Veenen, from the local Sinterklaas news, it is nice for the children that Roden has his own Sinterklaas story.
“I think it is nice for the local population, both children and adults, to see things that they recognize. We also have the entrepreneurs from the business community who play a role and services such as the police. So familiar faces come along and I think that that is fun for the people of Roden.”
The Roder parade was organized as a protest against the decision to cancel the parade. That action turns out to be unnecessary when around half past two the good saint simply drives onto Albertslaan in Roden. Just as he also makes an appearance in Assen, for example, where the tension was built up by a mysterious surprise and floating packages.
In Zuidlaren, Coevorden and Meppel, among others, children can also breathe a sigh of relief. Sinterklaas and his entourage of Piets will also arrive at various places in Drenthe on Sunday and next weekend. If everything goes well there too, of course.