The national arrival (landelijke intocht) is when Sinterklaas officially steps off his steamboat from Spain and the Dutch December season begins. Each year a different town hosts, and the whole thing is broadcast live, with most Dutch children glued to the screen. In 2026 it is the turn of Grave, a small fortified town on the river Maas in the Land van Cuijk, the first time Brabant has hosted in 26 years.
Grave was chosen in true Sinterklaas style: after last year’s arrival he threw a bottle with a letter from the steamboat, and it washed up there.
- When: Saturday 14 November 2026, from 12:00 until about 16:00, broadcast live from 12:00
- Where: The steamboat moors at the Loswal on the Maaskade in Grave, after which Sinterklaas parades through the historic centre to the Markt
- Tickets: free to watch; on TV via NPO Zapp on NPO 3
- Getting there: Grave has no train station, so check 9292 for buses from Nijmegen or Cuijk closer to the date.
Good to know: expect road closures, parking bans and big crowds in this small town, so check the Land van Cuijk municipality site before you travel. For most families the TV broadcast, with the Sinterklaasjournaal running from Monday 9 November, is the main event.
New to all this? Read Sinterklaas explained for South Africans.
