Last weekend, volunteers and residents of Apeldoorn were able to visit Paleis Het Loo free of charge. Volunteers from Apeldoorn were the first to be given the opportunity to secure tickets, as a thank you for their efforts in our municipality. The municipality of Apeldoorn and Paleis Het Loo made a total of 10,000 free tickets available for Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September.
Volunteers are of great value to Apeldoorn. They contribute to the town and its residents in many different ways – from sport and culture to healthcare, the natural environment and neighbourhood activities. Through the Palace Weekend, the council, in collaboration with Paleis Het Loo, wanted to give something back to all these volunteers.
Myrthe Kuipers, the councillor responsible for volunteering, personally welcomed the visitors alongside Peter Messerschmidt, the councillor for culture and cultural heritage.
“Volunteers make a difference every day in Apeldoorn. They give of their time without expecting anything in return. We wanted to thank them with this Palace Weekend. I hope all the volunteers enjoyed this lovely day.”
Over the weekend, the volunteers were able to visit the palace, the gardens and the stables courtyard. There were also all sorts of activities to mark September Garden Month.
Peter Messerschmidt, Councillor for Culture and Cultural Heritage:
“Het Loo Palace is a special place in our city and region. It’s wonderful that we were able to share this magnificent heritage with the people who dedicate themselves to Apeldoorn every day. Volunteers and cultural heritage have something important in common: they bring people together and connect them with their surroundings. I therefore found it particularly special to be able to welcome our volunteers here in person.”
The Palace Weekend was organised by Apeldoorn City Council and Paleis Het Loo. Following extensive renovation work, Paleis Het Loo reopened its doors in 2023. That year, residents of Apeldoorn were invited to explore the refurbished palace. During the second edition, informal carers were honoured.
This year, volunteers from Apeldoorn were the first to be given the opportunity to get free tickets, as a thank you for their efforts in the municipality. It turned out that there were still tickets available. These were then made available to residents of Apeldoorn as well. As a result, the volunteers’ weekend grew into a Palace Weekend for both volunteers and residents.
After all, volunteering takes many forms. From sports clubs and cultural organisations to healthcare, nature and local activities: many residents of Apeldoorn volunteer in one way or another to help others or support their local community.
2026 is the International Year of Volunteers. The United Nations has designated this year to draw global attention to the value of volunteers. It is an opportunity to highlight just how much volunteers mean to our society. With this ‘Paleisweekend’, the municipality of Apeldoorn therefore wanted to pay tribute to everyone who volunteers and, in doing so, makes a difference.
On Saturday 10 October 2026, the eighth edition of the Apeldoorn Volunteers’ Fair will take place at Orpheus. From 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm, visitors will once again have the opportunity to get to know over 70 organisations active in a wide range of sectors. For more information, visit the Apeldoorn’s website takes action.
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