Royal Family’s King’s Day route in Dokkum revealed; Festival weekend planned

Noardeast-Fryslân municipality has revealed the route King Willem-Alexander and his family will follow during King’s Day celebrations in Dokkum on Monday, April 27.

The royal family is set to arrive in the morning at the Bonifatius Fountain on Bronlaan. They will then walk via Strobosserweg and Woudpoortsbrug to Dokkum’s city center. From De Zijl, the procession will proceed mainly along Vleesmarkt before finishing at Helling, following much of the city’s canal-side paths. The visit will be shown live on TV.

Noardeast‑Fryslân will host a festival weekend (Keningswykein) for King’s Day from Friday, April 24 to Monday, April 27, 2026. The program includes music, sports, art, and local events taking place throughout Dokkum and neighboring villages.

The program for King’s Day and the preceding weekend will be officially revealed in the second half of March. The municipality says it has already received numerous suggestions from local businesses, residents, and community organizations. Mayor Johannes Kramer described the celebration as “a festival for Dokkum and the 52 neighboring villages.”

The municipality unveiled the official branding and logo for Keningsdei on January 9, 2026. Designed by a local agency, the logo incorporates playful pompeblêden (symbols from the Frisian flag) arranged to form a crown, symbolizing the Royal House.

To mark the announcement of the route, the municipality hosted a breakfast for nearby residents, giving them the opportunity to ask questions and meet the event organizers.

The royal family last visited a Friesland municipality for the national holiday during Queen Beatrix’s reign. In 2008, she toured Makkum and Franeker on what was then known as Queen’s Day.

Friesland province has tentatively agreed to provide up to 1.5 million euros for King’s Day in Dokkum, provided that Noardeast‑Fryslân municipality matches the contribution. This sets the total budget at a minimum of 3 million euros for now.