New committee organizes Sinterklaas parade in Hoogezand after cancellation

A new committee organized a Sinterklaas parade in Hoogezand, a town in the Dutch province of Groningen, after the previous organizers canceled the event.

The event faced cancellation earlier this year because the Stichting Vrienden Sinterklaasintocht Hoogezand-Sappemeer reported a shortage of volunteers and sponsors. The organization also cited a lack of interest from volunteers who felt the tradition had lost its magic without black-faced "Zwarte Piet" characters.

Additionally, the group canceled a planned parade featuring both black-faced and soot-covered "roetveegpieten" due to perceived threats against volunteers. Marc Bakker and Roshano Dewnarain formed a new committee to ensure the parade would still happen. The group secured a permit and recruited participants in just one month. The new organizers decided to host an inclusive celebration featuring only soot-covered piets.

While some participants expressed personal preferences for black-faced piets, the committee required all volunteers to agree to the soot-covered theme before joining. The parade will feature approximately 80 piets, including motorcycle piets and musicians from a local music association. It will also include fire trucks from the Brandweermuseum in Sappemeer and a vintage bus from the Busmuseum. Security personnel will be present at the event, and the local mayor plans to attend the arrival of Sinterklaas in the harbor.