Olympiad

The 2024 Olympiad will take place from Friday, January 26 to Sunday, January 28, 2024.

Olympiad 2024 will take place in the Netherlands, at MECC Maastricht.

It is not possible to return purchased entrance tickets. However, tickets can be transferred to another interested party.

Numbers 1, 2 and 3 of both the Standard and Sport classes will receive a trophy and diploma. The other pigeons/participants will receive a diploma. In addition, of course, attention in various media (website, brochure with Olympiad pigeons). There is no prize money linked to participation in the Olympiad exhibition.

Olympiad entry tickets are not personalized. Each ticket has a unique code that is scanned at the entrance. Once a ticket has been scanned, it is not possible to enter again with the same ticket. Copying entry tickets is therefore not useful.

The opening hours of the fair and Olympiad exhibition are:

• Friday, January 26, 2024: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
• Saturday, January 27, 2024: 08.00 a.m. - 6 p.m. 
• Sunday, January 28, 2024: 08.30 a.m. - 2.30 p.m. 

During the Olympiad, everyone is welcome. An entrance ticket is required to visit the fair, exhibition and party night. The award ceremonies are free to attend.

Of course, children are welcome. Admission for children under 16 is free.

MECC Maastricht's navigation address is Gaetano Martinolaan, 6229 GV Maastricht (MECC main entrance).

The map of Olympiad 2024 is not yet available. As soon as the floor plan is available, it will be posted on the website. In addition, printed floor plans will be available at the fair.

The program is still evolving. On the website you will always find the most up-to-date program, as a subpage under Home. The fair and exhibition are open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. To visit them you need an admission ticket. The award ceremonies are free to visit, the schedule for this will follow at a later stage.

Gaetano Martinolaan, 6229 GV Maastricht (The Netherlands)

Check this page for transportation options by car, cab and public transportation.

As an extra service, during Olympiad 2024, we will deploy shuttle buses between Maastricht Central Station and the MECC. You can use this service free of charge. More information will follow.

Immediately upon approaching Maastricht, 'MECC' is indicated on the ANWB signs. These signs will direct you to the parking lots of MECC Maastricht.

From Amsterdam-Eindhoven take exit 55 (Randwyck-MECC) and from Paris-Liège take exit 56 (Gronsveld-MECC).

You can take advantage of the Olympiade NS-Arrangement. For € 25 you can travel from anywhere in the Netherlands to Maastricht and back. As an extra service, there are shuttle buses between Maastricht Central Station and the MECC. You can use this service free of charge. More information will follow.

Furthermore, Maastricht Randwyck Station is 250 meters away from the MECC and is connected to an international railroad network. Plan your trip via 9292.

Please note!
The Olympiade NS package does not apply to the route Maastricht Central - Maastricht Randwyck.If you wish to travel by train to Maastricht Randwyck, you will need to purchase an additional ticket.

• By car/taxi: +/- 10 minutes (may take longer during crowds).
• By foot: +/- 30 minutes.
• By public transportation: +/- 30 minutes.

MECC Maastricht has 2,200 parking spaces. So there is plenty of parking space on the grounds of MECC. Click here for detailed parking information.

Check the current parking rates for parking at the MECC here.

Payment can be made by iDEAL, VISA, Mastercard or American Express.

Cash payment is not possible.

MECC Maastricht has 10 charging stations for guests and visitors of MECC Maastricht. These are located on P4. There are also several public charging points around the building.

See the map on this page for the exact location and availability of the charging stations.

Parking for people with disabilities is possible at the MECC in several parking lots:

• On P4 (at the main entrance) there are 6 disabled parking spaces
• in P1 there are 2 disabled parking spaces on each floor up to a total of 12 spaces. These are located right next to the elevator shafts.

However, to use these parking spaces a disabled pass is required; without a valid disabled pass you risk being fined.

Maastricht has numerous accommodation options. On this page you will find more information about hotels in Maastricht.

On what days can booths be built up and taken down?

Construction:
- Wednesday, January 24 08.00 am - 06.00 pm.
- Thursday 25 January 08.00 am - 06.00 pm

Stand dismantling
- Sunday 28 January after official closure Olympiad
- Monday, January 29 08.00 am - 06.00 pm

This website contains all kinds of information about Maastricht.

In the area around the MECC and in Maastricht there are several restaurants. On this page you will find more information about nice restaurants in Maastricht.