Gorinchem expects 20,000 visitors for the arrival of Sinterklaas

Gorinchem expects 20,000 visitors during the national Sinterklaas arrival. On Saturday, November 18, the saint and his Piets will arrive in the old fortress town, which has a population of 37,000. "So, a large number of people will be entering the fortress. For our city, this is certainly one of the biggest events," said a spokesperson for the municipality located in Zuid-Holland.

Sinterklaas’ steamboat will dock at 12:00 p.m. at the the Buiten de Waterpoort. Accompanied by, among others, freerunners, dance groups, and gymnastics associations from Gorinchem, Sinterklaas with his Zwarte Piet will parade through the city center. A historical fire engine will be pulled by horses. Stages along the route will feature local associations performing dances and music.

The municipality has not yet received any indications that people wish to express their views for or against Zwarte Piet during the children's festival. If groups wish to do so, "the same rules as always apply," according to the spokesperson, "people have the right to demonstrate." This includes requirements such as the demonstration must be registered 48 hours in advance, and a separate area will be designated for it.

Zwarte Piet is often portrayed as the buffoonish assistant to Sinterklaas by white people wearing chocolate brown or black face makeup, curly black wigs, a thick coat of lipstick to give the appearance of big lips, large hoop earrings, and a Moorish costume. Protests against this blackface tradition have emerged across various countries in recent years.

The municipality is organizing the parade in collaboration with NTR. This broadcaster handles the annual live broadcast on NPO 3. Dieuwertje Blok will host the live broadcast, as she has for the past 21 years.

Blok also hosts the television program Sinterklaasjournaal, which will begin on November 13. The children's show is a mock news broadcast tracking Sinterklaas as he and the Piets make their way to the Netherlands by steamboat with gifts for the children living in the Netherlands.