Wilhelmus Songfestival opens 35th edition of Leiden Marathon

After Cato de Jong’s victory in the first edition of the Wilhelmus Songfestival, we are now looking for new singing talent! With the second edition of the Wilhelmus Songfestival, talented singers get the chance to open the Leiden Marathon in a festive way. The winner will sing the Dutch national anthem on Sunday 10 May 2026 during the official opening of the Leiden Marathon.

The singing competition is open to participants aged 12 and over. Children up to and including 11 years old can also take part; they compete for the opening of the Kidsrun, also on Sunday 10 May.

Registration is open until 1 March via [email protected]. The audition consists of two audition videos: one song of your choice and a performance of the Wilhelmus. For children, the requirement is to submit a song of their choice alongside the song ‘Baila Bailalaa’.

The live final of the Wilhelmus Songfestival takes place on Sunday 22 March at 14:00 at De Nobel in Leiden.