Nijmegen Four Days Marches Festivities

With over 1,5 million visitors attending the Nijmegen Four Days Marches for a week, the festival is the largest event in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe. This year's theme is Old City New Vibes, or rather, Old City Young Vibes. The festival has partnered with Urban Sports to showcase all the wonderful things street culture has to offer in the fields of art, culture, and sports. Live music will be played throughout the week, along with activities for all ages and a variety of artists.

Kickoff will take place on 20 different stages at exactly 4 p.m. It's an honor for me to kick off the event alongside the mayor at Plein 44. This square is located in the heart of the city center. Recently, the square has been revitalized. A huge covered tent has been erected with three large stages. I was able to contribute to the organization beforehand and had excellent contact with Milja and Casper.

Then the big day arrived. My best friend, Aldi, and I were there. Upon arrival, we first set up the huge inflatable at an ice cream parlor on the Waalkade. Then we headed to Plein 44, where we were warmly welcomed and immediately helped with our gear. After the stage check and sound check, the mayor suddenly appeared behind me to discuss how we were going to structure the interaction.

Dressed in a white and yellow SweetBall outfit and matching, customized shoes, I'm ready for action! The music starts and I'm announced. I go into hyperfocus, a feeling where I become one with the ball and the music. I'm in "my zone," so I can hear everyone cheering, clapping, and cheering in the background. Phones are picked up to film, and the show is also projected on a large screen behind me, so even those standing a bit further away can see it clearly. Immediately after the show, I switch to the microphone to interact with the still-hyped audience. Meanwhile, electric bikes are being set up on stage for the opening.

Then I sprint to the main stage where the mayor is waiting. He welcomes the crowd and gives a short speech. I grab my basketballs for some interaction. The mayor scores through my arms, like we used to do as kids when there wasn't a hoop around. I can't resist spinning the basketball on the presenter's microphone. Later, it turns out this picture is on the front page of the Nijmeegse Dagblad. Last year, a similar photo with the king also made the front page of the newspaper.