Free markets, lots of music and food and drink. Everywhere in the province this is on the program for King’s Day. But there are also some notable activities per municipality. A tractor dexterity competition, for example. Or how about a lottery with sheep. Or a pancake contest. Or a…
Well, read on for yourself.
In Assen, the Governor’s Garden will be transformed into a Do-It-Yourself Park from 10 a.m. It will be a place where visitors can go for artistic creations, music and street acts. A Digital Art Factory has been set up for young people. This is a creative place where modern techniques are used.
In Nijeveen they go back in time, because the orange association has existed there for 125 years. For example, she holds a tractor dexterity competition. In it, the village is looking for the best tractor driver in Nijeveen.
The start is at 2 p.m. at the event area. Registration is not necessary for this. It is important that the participants get on the tractor themselves.
If the tractor race is too fast, Gasselte may offer a solution. There’s a pancake contest. Participants then have to try to keep pancake in the pan, while they complete an obstacle course in costume. There are races in different age categories. Matches begin at 3 p.m. at the village hall.
If the pancake competition is too slow, then it is an option to go to Zuidlaren. The orange association there brings Formula 1 to the Brink. Or something that should represent it, anyway.
And that’s a racing simulator. Last year that part was new on the program and according to the organization it has not remained unoccupied for a single minute. That’s why the racing simulator is on the program again tomorrow. ‘Red Bull prizes’ are waiting for the three fastest.
Instead of taking a seat in the (virtual) car, you can sit on a bicycle in Vledder, because there are two bicycle tours there. In the morning there is a free market on Lesturgeon Square with activities for children. At the back of that square is a course with separate bicycles. In the afternoon, from 1:30 pm and 2:00 pm, a family cycle tour starts. A shortened route has been made for the children.
You can also take a bike in Beilen, for the 59th edition of the Koningswielerronde. About a hundred youth riders and as many elite riders are participating. Coen Vermeltfoort, Tijmen Eising and Rick Ottema, among others, are at the start, as are regional riders such as Axel van der Tuuk from Assen, Juul Nagengast from Beilen and Jordy Brouwer from Westerbork.
And in Diever, a parade of decorated bicycles is on the program.
Everyone can show their talents in Meppel. An open stage is held at De Wheem, a kind of talent show. “It is the opportunity for young people to show their arts on stage, for example singer-songwriters,” says presenter Willem Spans.
Animals are also considered. This King’s Day is the first edition of ‘Sheep in your loft’ in Bovensmilde. That is a fun lottery with twenty living sheep and twenty pens. Participants can buy a lottery ticket online with a combination of a sheep and a pen.
Under the supervision of a professional shepherd, the sheep walk in a pen. The first three sheep in a pen determine the result of that round. Three rounds are played with the prizes being doubled in the last round.
And for the rest it’s music, games, free markets, more games, drinking, more games and in Gasselte there is still toilet brush throwing.