The rolling theatre decors are sky-high and attract tens of thousands of spectators every year; for these two reasons alone, the focus on safety during construction and the theatre parade itself is particularly logical. This year, extra attention will also be paid to a clean and tidy Heeze after the festive day.
Stichting Brabantsedag continues to insist on this: safety before all else. Together with the car manufacturers' groups, a safety working group was set up this year, says the coordinator and board member Guus Berkers, responsible for facilities, safety & permits: "We want to improve safety every year, both among the volunteers of Stichting Brabantsedag and among all building groups. We are a 100% voluntary organisation, but we also set the bar higher every year in terms of safety.
On site
As soon as the towering marquees rise in June, attention is paid to safety. The subject is also a permanent feature of the central consultation, the builders platform. The building groups all have a working group or are responsible for safety, says Edwin van der Kruijs: "We talk to each other about it, of course. No flip flops and so on, even though it can be very sunny in the summer. Do drill, grind, saw and weld fall protection for work at height, safety shoes and standard with safety goggles and hearing protection.
From the very first design onwards, construction and safety are an important subject to which structural attention is paid every time building groups present their drawings. The Technical Commission of Stichting Brabantsedag has expertise in the fields of construction, electrical engineering, electronics and transport technology. Together with the building groups, they are looking for ways to ensure that all creative ideas are realised safely and robustly. "During the construction period, the Technical Commission also visits the building groups regularly, so that we do not encounter any surprises during the theatre parade itself. The controls are strict, but always in dialogue with the builders," says Guus.
During the theatre parade
The inspections are important, he says: "Every car must start safely. Every year we receive over thirty thousand spectators, three times as many as the number of inhabitants of Heeze. We all want to offer them a special and, above all, safe experience.
That's why, for safety's sake, wagon supervisors walk on each of the sixteen towering theatre decors so that no enormous gaps fall between the rolling theatre performances. The foundation also deploys additional parade supervisors, each of whom instructs and coaches four car supervisors. The parade guides also strictly ensure that the parade track remains free, according to Guus: "That spectators stay behind the fences and do not cross between cars by crossing at the same speed. The same applies to press people and photographers. No, even with a press card you don't get on the track. Only a handful of their own photographers, recognizable by their Brabantsedag shirt, are allowed to work on the track itself. But they know exactly what to look out for.
Traffic measures
The municipality of Heeze-Leende also has measures in place to manage the enormous number of guests. From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. a large part of the village is closed to motorized traffic. In addition, from 8:00 a.m. there is also an emergency route that is kept available for any emergency services that may be required. You are not allowed to stop or park on that route, nor are the residents. Wrongly parked cars on that route will be towed away without a hitch. At road closures, traffic controllers whose instructions must always be followed are listed. All traffic measures (and permits) can be found on heeze-leende.nl/verkeer
Clean condition
In addition to safety, the theme of this year's Brabantsedag is also clean, by devoting a great deal of attention to tackling litter. After a fantastic day in Heeze, the municipality of Heeze-Leende, AJC project management and the Brabantsedag Heeze therefore want to work together this year to make it the cleanest theatre parade in the country, says Anique van der Leegte of AJC project management: "In recent years, the municipality has designated Brabantsedag as a project within the general municipal approach to litter. The first steps towards a clean event will be taken this year. Posters make the waste bins more clearly visible. On the atmospheric squares, waste islands will attract attention. In addition, promoters distribute waste bags to the public, so that waste can be collected during the parade and disposed of afterwards. Extra attention is also paid to the prevention of litter on the rolling theatre decors. In this way we try to optimize the audience and the artists to clean up the town.
