On 27 April 2026, King Willem-Alexander celebrated his 59th birthday in Dokkum. The city welcomed 21,000 visitors and revolved entirely around the royal visit. Behind the scenes, Boels Rental made sure everything ran safely and smoothly. With LED screens, we guided visitors along the right routes and kept full control of the situation.
The challenge: high pressure in limited space
How do you organise a large-scale event in a historic city centre with narrow streets? Event organiser Vinke Vision faced that challenge and partnered with Boels Rental. Project manager Dorus van Lierop explains: “King’s Day is always special and complex. In a city centre like this, you have many interests that need to be aligned.”
During the build-up, the city remained fully in use. Residents, suppliers and construction teams all operated in the same space at the same time. This requires tight planning and reliable machinery.
Van Lierop: “Boels supports us with aerial work platforms, forklifts and other equipment. That gives us control during both preparation and execution.”
The solution: clear overview and efficient use of equipment
Visitors want to know where to go and they don’t want to miss a moment of the programme. That’s why we installed video and LED screens at key locations. These screens provided live coverage of the royal visit, guided visitors through the city and supported crowd management. Even during peak moments, the situation remained clear and manageable.
Van Lierop: “Boels thinks along with us from the start. They look at how to use equipment as efficiently as possible and make sure everything works as agreed.”
The result: a smooth and safe event
King’s Day went according to plan. Visitors found their way, safety remained under control and the organisation stayed in charge. Jan Kooloos, project manager at Boels:
“We always start with one question: what do you want to achieve? Based on that, we create the plan and execute it. If something comes up, we act immediately and solve it.”
