Uniformed groups at King’s Day 2017 in Fort Oranje.
ST. EUSTATIUS--King’s Day 2018 will be jam-packed with tons of activities in St. Eustatius on Friday, April 27. The day starts off at 6:00am at Crossroad Park in front of the St. Eustatius Historical Foundation Museum Grounds.
Last year, the official King’s Day celebration was held at Fort Oranje. King’s Day will be opened at the Museum Grounds this year, because Fort Oranje, the location of past King’s Day opening ceremonies, is deemed unsafe due to cliff erosion.
The celebration will start with the hoisting of the flags and the singing of the Dutch national anthem, the “Wilhelmus” and of the “Golden Rock song.” Government Commissioner Marcolino “Mike” Franco will address those gathered.
There will also be performances by pupils of Golden Rock, Bethel Methodist, Governor De Graaff and Seventh Day Adventist schools.
Following the early morning programme, a parade by uniformed groups will start at 7:30am. The route will carry the groups through Paramiraweg and Faeschweg and end at Fort Oranje.
The uniformed groups will then be treated to a King’s Day Breakfast in front of Gertrude Judson Bicentennial Public Library.
From 9:00am to 10:00am, a cycle-thon will continue the day’s events, leading cyclists from F.D. Roosevelt Airport to Cranston Ballpark via Pandt Square, C. Woodley Street, Korthalsweg, Fort Oranjestraat, Van Tonningenweg and The Sandy Road.
At Cranston Ballpark the King’s Day activities will continue with sport events with musical entertainment by DJ Sense.
The Children’s Rights mural wall will be officially opened by Government Commissioner Franco, New Challenges Foundation representative Cheriette van der Lugt, and Dirkje de Jong of United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF between 10:30am and 10:45am. Before the official opening there will be a performance by a dance group, after which the young artists will be signing their segments of the mural from 10:45am to 11:00am.
Many sports activities will be taking place at the Ballpark from 11:00am until 4:00pm. There will also be a Kid’s Corner, with surprises for pupils starting at the age of four years old.
Among the scheduled sports activities are a Tug-of-War competition with Gwendoline van Putten School (GvP) students, football at the Johan Cruijff Court, a volleyball tournament for women under the age of 20, track and field with Asha Robins, a basketball competition with GvP students, and a Pony League with existing teams. A medal presentation will be held at 3:30pm, and special thanks will conclude the sports event at 4:00pm.
A free market will be hosted at The Sandy Road from 8:00am until 12:00pm. Organisers said that anyone interested in a spot may contact Esther Dillo or Maaike Fischer via Facebook.
St. Eustatius Animal Welfare will be having a King’s Day Free/Donations Spay and Neuter Clinic. All dogs and cats are welcome to the event. Anyone interested is asked to call tel. 3181-102 or pass by the animal shelter to register their dog or cat.
The St. Eustatius Government announced that their offices will be closed on Monday, April 30.
