As the days get shorter, we prepare ourselves for the cozy and atmospheric month of December.
Reason to highlight two beautiful local stories that are closely linked to the festive month.
Experience for young and old
Marc Schultheis is the driving force behind the Sinterklaas parade that always takes place in November. The Sinterklaasintocht of Haarlem is a popular event that children and adults alike look forward to. Marc Schultheis, together with a loyal group of volunteers, ensures every year that the arrival of Sinterklaas in Haarlem is an unforgettable experience for young and old. The entry has been organized for about 20 years now by a group of seven enthusiastic volunteers. Preparations for the November entry begin as early as February, so that everything can be arranged down to the last detail. This year there were about 17,000 visitors along the route. All of them happy faces! Ed and Marc share a common passion for the holiday season and have both been committed for years to making these events a great success. Ed Mense is the organizer of the Haarlem Christmas Market. Every year he makes sure that Haarlem is completely immersed in the Christmas atmosphere for a whole weekend.
Each street its own charm
The Christmas Market features some 350 stalls spread across 12 locations in the downtown area. The Christmas Market winds its way right through downtown, with each street having its own charm. Like every year, the Schagchelstraat will be transformed into "Emma's Street," where you will go back in time to a real 19th-century Christmas party. The Kleine Houtstraat is entirely in the style of the Middle Ages. The Haarlem Christmas Market is a place where people gather with friends and family to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere and winter coziness. The Christmas Market once began as a small one-day market and has grown into a three-day event, which will experience its 30th edition in 2023. The approximately 175,000 visitors are not only from Haarlem, but a large part also comes from the rest of the Netherlands and even from abroad. Preparations for the next edition start right away in December. Ed and silent force Brenda are busy for a whole year two days a week to arrange everything in detail. Both the Christmas market and the St. Nicholas parade could not exist without the enormous efforts of a large group of enthusiastic volunteers.
Behind-the-scenes organization
Organizing both events has many other similarities. It's about giving visitors a great experience. That means there's a lot of organization behind the scenes that goes into making sure everything runs smoothly. For the St. Nicholas parade, nice weather is an important factor. If the wind is too strong, the boat must still be able to moor properly. Or what if the engine fails? There's more to it than meets the eye. For example, Sinterklaas has to get acquainted with the horse every year. Since 2 years there is a new horse, from the north of the country. Sinterklaas goes every year, test riding, to make sure that both the horse and Sinterklaas are familiar with each other. Furthermore, did you know that there are about 90 Pieten on hand, all of whom are not from Haarlem? That is because of recognizability. The Pieten gather at a secret location on the morning of the entry at 6 a.m. to prepare. The organization works with the best suppliers to ensure the most beautiful Pieten suits and the tastiest spiced nuts time and time again.
Collaborate
Marc: 'I am proud that as the capital of North Holland we have the most beautiful entry. When the ship comes sailing in from Heemstede and you see all those children along the shore, you can only be proud and cherish that.' Ed also knows what is involved in organizing and managing a large event. For the perfect course of the Christmas market there are, among other things, traffic controllers on the road, there are cameras and sound systems all over the city and there is a call team all three days with six phones ready to answer all questions of entrepreneurs and visitors. But also the connection with the Municipality, NS and Connexxion, among others, are of great value for crowd control. New this year is the official Haarlem Kerstmarkt App, which keeps visitors informed of the latest news and updates about the Christmas Market and important information about the walking route. For both events, having a good team is inseparable from the success of the event. It is important to keep calm and put the right people in the right places. Together, as organizers, you make sure that people experience Haarlem as a fun city where many great events are organized and that Haarlem is a great place to go. Both men are obviously proud of what they put down; the positivity and happy faces that the events bring. Ed is proud: "I love hearing that many people come back after the Christmas Market to see our beautiful city again, because they liked Haarlem so much.
Quite a challenge
Both entrepreneurs have seen a lot of change over the years, so they are always facing new challenges and have to move with the times. Marc: "That even though you do want it to remain nostalgia and not become folklore. For example, the Pieters discussion was a challenge because it led to extreme reactions to Marc's personal address. But the advent of social media also brings challenges. If you are an entrepreneur organizing a big event, there is always someone who thinks something about something. Ed: "I stopped reading the comments on social media because they don't necessarily make you happy. The gentlemen both have great passion for organizing the events. The enormous amount of fun and enthusiasm of everyone involved makes the work fun. Marc and Ed are proud. Both events are possible through the efforts of many volunteers, but also thanks to the support of the municipality and the BIZ Binnenstad Haarlem.
