Den Helder – The organizers of the seventh edition of the EOC Traditional Ships Fair look back on a very successful event. For the third year in a row, the number of visitors has risen to over 2,800. This year, the fair was also visited by many young people, and several conservation organizations held their members' meetings there simultaneously.
This year marked the third consecutive year that the nautical event was held in the Stadshal (City Hall) of De Kampanje theater. Before the coronavirus pandemic, it was held in Building 66, the former mast shed at the Willemsoord complex, which was to be converted into the city hall in the following years. "After the coronavirus pandemic, we've seen visitor numbers increase every year, and we're now approaching 3,000," says fair manager Michiel Tegelberg. "The fact that young people under 18 were able to attend the fair for free certainly helped. This time, we set up an experience center specifically for them, where they could learn about various types of woodworking. That proved to be a huge success. Another positive development was that a growing number of conservation organizations are holding their members' meetings concurrently with this fair. An attractive program of lectures and presentations in the small hall of De Kampanje, and the exhibitions featuring old engravings and DIY boats in Building 66, also contributed to the success."“
With the wristband provided for admission to the fair, visitors were once again given free access to the Dorus Rijkers National Rescue Museum and the Navy Museum. This resulted in 397 additional visitors for the former and 249 for the Navy Museum. The Texel Lightship, in turn, attracted over 300 visitors, and the exhibitions in the town hall attracted 600. There was also considerable interest in the shipyard in the Medemblikkerloods, the forging and riveting demonstrations in the mechanical workshop, and the tours of the Willemsoord complex.
The eighth edition of the fair is scheduled for November 7, 8 and 9, 2025.
Den Helder, November 25, 202
