Follow the Sinterklaas Arrival Parade to the Grote Markt
The city's biggest Sinterklaas moment is the intocht — the arrival parade, when Sinterklaas comes into Groningen by route through the streets and finishes on the Grote Markt, the central square of the inner city. In 2026 it is scheduled for Saturday 14 November. It is a city-wide parade rather than a single staged event, organised by the Koninklijke Vereeniging voor Volksvermaken (KVVV), and it appears in the municipality of Groningen's "Jaarplanning grote evenementen 2026" — the annual planning of major events adopted on 2 December 2025.
What that means for you as a visitor: stake out a spot along the route or, better, position yourself on the Grote Markt for the finish, where the crowds and the arrival converge. The annual planning does not publish start or end times, and the detailed route is announced later. Check the municipal events calendar and the organiser's channels closer to the date for current timing, accessibility and any changes, then build your day around it.
Plan Around the One Date That Is Fixed
Only one date is confirmed in the sources: Saturday 14 November 2026 for the intocht. Everything else about the day — when the parade steps off, how long it runs, which streets it takes — is announced nearer the time.
- Treat 14 November 2026 as your anchor and book travel and accommodation around it.
- Follow the municipality of Groningen's events calendar for updates, since it is the channel the sources point to for times, accessibility and changes.
- Watch for announcements from KVVV, the organiser named in the planning.
- Keep the day flexible: with no published times, plan to be in the inner city rather than committed to a precise slot.
The Square, the Streets and the Shape of the Day
The geography matters here. The intocht is a route through Groningen city that ends on the Grote Markt, so the inner city is where you want to be. Arrive early enough to walk the approach streets and get a sense of the route before the parade passes, then settle near the square for the finale.
- Base yourself in the inner city so you can move between the route and the Grote Markt on foot.
- Use the Grote Markt as your end point — it is the confirmed finish of the parade.
- Expect a city-wide event rather than a single ticketed venue; the sources describe a route through the city, not a seated show.
What the Sources Do and Do Not Tell You
Be clear-eyed about what is documented. The intocht's date, organiser, route format and finish point are all confirmed. That is also where accessibility information will appear.
- Confirmed: intocht on Saturday 14 November 2026; route through the city ending on the Grote Markt; organised by KVVV; listed in the municipality's 2026 annual planning adopted 2 December 2025.
- To confirm nearer the date: start and end times, detailed route, accessibility arrangements, any changes.
- Where to look: the municipal events calendar and the organiser's announcements.
Make 14 November 2026 Your Reason to Come
Groningen's Sinterklaas intocht gives you a fixed date, a defined finish on the Grote Markt, and a city that fills around it. Set your trip for Saturday 14 November 2026, put the municipal events calendar on your watch list for times and route details, and let the square be the place you end up. Start with the date — then let the announcements fill in the rest.