Indoor playground BillyBird Drakenrijk officially opened

BEESEL – On Sunday, 1 February 2026, the new indoor playground of BillyBird Drakenrijk, called Drakendorp, was officially and festively opened. The opening marks an important milestone for the family-owned company BillyBird and was attended by invited guests, visitors and BillyBird members. From now on, the BillyBird concept at Drakenrijk is complete. Playing indoors and outdoors is possible all year round, regardless of the weather.

Opening by Ton Derks

The day began with a short speech by Ton Derks, owner of BillyBird, Martijn Derks, mayor of the municipality of Beesel, and Stephan Satijn, deputy of the Province of Limburg. In his speech, Ton Derks expressed his gratitude to the municipality and the province for their support, not only with permits but also through a loan. He also thanked the suppliers, the BillyBird staff and, above all, his family.

BillyBird is a family business founded by Ton and Gerrie Derks, in which the new generation now also plays an important role. The realisation of Drakendorp was achieved through close cooperation within the Derks family. Paul Derks was responsible for the design of the indoor playground and also supervised the construction. The iconic ‘burning house’ was fully designed in detail by Herman Derks, allowing it to be delivered as a construction kit; he also actively contributed to the building process himself. Maarten Derks arranged the financing of the project and will oversee the operation of the new indoor playground. Co-owner Esther Derks placed her trust in the project and supported its realisation. A special role is played by Gerrie Derks, who according to Ton Derks “always has a listening ear and is the connecting factor within the family business.” “In a family business, a lot is arranged around the kitchen table,” Derks said.

Opening show

At 10:40 a.m., the opening spectacle began with a special show. Two knights battled each other at the gate of Drakendorp, much to the delight of the audience. In the end, it was a brave young visitor who managed to chase away the evil knight. As the curtain fell, accompanied by confetti and festive music, children were able to explore the indoor playground together with their parents. At the eye-catcher of Drakendorp, mascot BillyBird was ready to welcome all children with a cheerful high-five. Afterwards, children could take part in a knight workshop throughout the entire morning.

Toddler zone open

In the weeks following the opening, work continued intensively on a special toddler zone. Here, the youngest children up to and including 3 years old can play safely with soft play elements, while parents can sit directly next to the play area to supervise them closely.

Open every day

BillyBird Drakenrijk has been open to the general public since 17 January 2026 and is accessible daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Since the soft opening during the Christmas holidays, more than 10,000 guests have already visited the new indoor playground.

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