About 200,000 visitors on the first day of Nijmegen Marches

The first day of the traditional Four Days Marches in Nijmegen went well, the organization said. They speak of a "very cautious, first, provisional, rough estimate" of between 150,000 and 200,000 visitors. The walking event starts on Tuesday, but partygoers could already go on Saturday.

It was still a little quiet in the afternoon due to the rain, but when the weather cleared later on, it became quite lively. According to the organization's spokesperson, everything went smoothly between the various stages with artists. On the Faberplein, however, it got a bit too crowded and the police asked people not to go there.

In total, there are more than a thousand artists on over forty stages. The four-day festival lasts until Friday evening. There also new additional activities for older people this year. For example, live music from the 60s and 70s was played, which were hits in the clubs at the time. "There's not much to do for the elderly during the Four Days Marches. That's why we're having a party for them on Sunday afternoon this year," Smaakmarkt organizer Brent Roozendaal told AD.

The Gelderland police reported on X that thirteen drivers had had too much to drink during checks at the two Nijmegen bridges. They warned drivers to be vigilant in traffic in the coming days. "Enjoy the parties, but make sure you have a designated driver!" The vast majority of drivers were able to continue driving without any problems after the checks, the police said.