Kingsday 2024 in Groningen
Apr 18, 2024 • 4 minutes reading time
King's Day April 27, 2024
King's Day is the national holiday celebrating the King's birthday. If April 27 falls on a Sunday, King's Day is celebrated the day before. On King's Day, King Willem-Alexander and his family, along with other members of the Royal Family, visit a municipality with a central role in the region. This year, they will be visiting Drenthe, specifically the town of Emmen. Want to know more about what makes King's Day so special? Read this piece on ‘seven things you didn't know about King's Day’.
King's Day Flea Market in Groningen
For me personally, King's Day in the city of Groningen has always been a day to search for toys with our son at the flea market. The flea market provides space for Groningers to display their goods on blankets or stalls in the city center of Groningen. People rummage through their second-hand items from the attic and put a price tag on them. If you're curious about your city or neighborhood's treasures, I definitely recommend a visit! There's always a stall with tasty snacks too. If you'd like to have your own stall, you can start setting up as early as 7:00 am. Most Groningers arrive a few hours earlier to secure the best spot.
Flea Market Route
The route runs along the Ubbo Emmiussingel, Praediniussingel, Coehoornsingel, and Ganzevoortsingel. We found colorful keyboards, games, and stacks of Donald Ducks. You can grab items for a few cents, and it's always a surprise what you'll find! The most enjoyable area for children is around the Westerhaven. You can take a coffee or lunch break at Wadapartja Westerhaven or Stadscafé Double AA. Both places have charming terraces.
Kids' Disco and Dance Battle
There's a lot of fun activities for kids in the city on King's Day.
DJ Nick from Dijkman Sport organizes a kids' disco, and you can even participate in a dance battle. Who dares to show off their dance moves? This takes place at the Vismarkt starting at 11:15 am.
King's Night in Groningen
For music lovers and party animals, King's Night is very lively. This takes place on the evening before King's Day. On the main stage at the Vismarkt, there's live music catering to a diverse audience. There's an extensive program starting at 8:15 pm and lasting until the early hours, specifically until 2:00 am.
s' nachts.
Oranje Nassau Association 100 Years
King's Day and the entire program are organized by the Oranje Nassau Association in Groningen, which is celebrating its 100th year in 2024.
The Program
In Groningen, King's Night starts at the Vismarkt with Bart Brandts Buys and DJ Julian Bos providing a mix of music and entertainment. Starfish brings summer vibes, Kevin Paré delivers Dutch hits, and the Abba Experience gets everyone dancing. An evening filled with energy and familiar tunes! You can find a link to the program here.
Orange
It is the tradition to wear something orange that day. We thank that to the surname of the royal family ‘Oranje Nassau’.
Photo in headline from Wikipedia: A stall during the koninginnedag freemarket 2007, created and uploaded by Dirk van der Made