On Saturday, September 26, the largest BurenDag ever will be celebrated. During the 21st edition, with over 10,400 registered neighbourhood activities, the 10,000 activity mark will be broken for the first time and a new record set. With over 600,000 expected participants, BurenDag, an initiative of Douwe Egberts and the Oranje Fonds, has grown into one of the largest social events in the Netherlands.
On BurenDag (National Neighbours’ Day), neighbours come together to get to know each other better and do something positive for their street, neighbourhood, or village. Throughout the Netherlands, residents organise a wide variety of activities, such as neighbourhood barbecues, coffee mornings, game afternoons, street play days, cleanup campaigns, greening projects, neighbourhood bingo, communal meals, and gatherings for young and old.
Since the first edition in 2006, BurenDag has brought people together to make their neighbourhood more pleasant, social, and stronger. The initiative by Douwe Egberts and the Oranje Fonds continues to grow every year and shows how much value people place on good contact with their neighbours.
The record number of activities underscores how important neighborhood connection is. In a time when many contacts increasingly take place digitally, Neighbors’ Day offers people the chance to meet each other in person. Strong neighborhood networks contribute to greater trust, livability, and mutual support in the neighborhood. From neighborhood barbecues and greening projects to street play days and gatherings for young and old: residents throughout the Netherlands are rolling up their sleeves.
Connection close to home
“The fact that at least one activity is taking place in virtually every Dutch municipality this year is fantastic,” says Sandra Jetten, Director of the Oranje Fonds. “It shows how deep-seated the desire to look out for one another is. Change starts with small, local initiatives on the street. It is precisely these encounters between neighbors that create a greater sense of connection and contribute to a society where people feel seen and involved. As the Oranje Fonds, we are incredibly proud that we can give neighbors across the country that helping hand to make their neighborhood a nice place.”
“At Douwe Egberts, we have believed in the power of a good conversation for generations. It is special to see how a cup of coffee can grow into new contacts, friendships, and neighborhood initiatives. The fact that a record number of neighborhoods are now participating proves that people still have a need for real-life encounters. We are incredibly proud of that,” says Kathelijne Malcontent, who works at Douwe Egberts.
Registration is still possible
Although the record has already been broken, the organisation calls on neighborhoods to keep getting involved. Initiators can register their neighbourhood activity up until the day itself via the Burendag website.
BurenDag can be followed on social media via: Instagram: @burendag_official and @ oranjefonds.nl , @Douweegberts.
Featured image: © Jeanette Scholten – Neighbourhood Day Utrecht Science Park 2025
