Amsterdam events
Thoughout the year Amsterdam offers variety of cultural events and festivals, many of them with an English-speaking public in mind.
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December
| Annual and upcoming events |
Realisme 08 Art Fair
Mid-January of each year
A lively art fair conveniently located near the Central Station, dedicated to exclusively the figurative art. It occupies one big hall of the new Passenger Terminal Amsterdam
Chinese New Year
9 February 2008
Festival through Zeedijk and China town.
Queensday
Every year 30 April
 Amsterdam Queensday is officially the national celebration of the birthday of the Queen Mother, but this in reality is only an excuse to party hard. The celebrations takes place all over the Netherlands, but have a special atmosphere in big cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam or The Hague.
In Amsterdam, Queensday is by far the largest open-air festivity, with estimated 750-thousend people come to the city, wisely arriving by train. Places in centre like Dam, Damrak, Rokin, Rembrandtplein, Spui, Leidsestraat and Leidseplein are bursting with crowds celebrating and wearing orange.. On Queensday, all street trade all over the city is unregulated, so it is also the time for second-hand shopping. In Vondelpark the children show their business talents offering various attractions.
Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival
 9-20 April 2008
24th edition of the fantastic film festival promises a week full of fantasy, anime, thriller, cult, horror and sci-fi. Screenings this year are at Pathe Tuschinski.
www.afff.nl
Amsterdam World Book Capital
23 April 2008
The city has taken “the debate around freedom of expression” as its theme for the year as World Book Capital.
www.amsterdamworldbookcapital.com
5 Days Off Amsterdam
 Changing dates each year...
Probably the loudest event in Amsterdam, "5 Days Off" is a festival of electronic music taking place at the beginning of July in several venues in Amsterdam, like Melkweg, Paradiso and Heineken Music Hall. While it has been at its beginnings an annual indoor dance event, "5 Days Off" has become last years a cultural event of international reputation, an important occasion to present what is new in the field of the electronic music, with participation of music bands from all over Europe and the US.
www.5daysoff.nl
Art Amsterdam
 7-12 May 2008
Art Amsterdam (previously known as Kunst RAI) is a modern art fair, which is organised each year for five days in May in the RAI exhibition and conference centre, in the south of Amsterdam. It is a big fair, with more than 120 galleries from the Netherlands and an increasing number of the foreign galleries, mainly from Western Europe and the United States. The accent is on new developments in art.
www.kunstrai.nl
 Amsterdam Literary Festival
16-18 May 2008
The Amsterdam Literary Festival is an annual event, held in May. The festival aims to put Amsterdam on the world literary map.
www.amsterdamliteraryfestival.com
Holland Festival
 Every year - end of May – June. In 2008 dates are: May 31 – June 22.
Holland Festival is the biggest in the Netherlands performing arts festival of international character. It brings events from all over the world on the fields of music, opera, theatre and dance, also draws attention to chosen films and art shows. Holland Festival also organises interesting conferences and workshops. The 2008 Festival theme is CIELO E TERRA (Heaven and Earth).
www.hollandfestival.nl
Vondelpark Open Air Theater
1 June – 24 August 2008
Openluchttheatre, Vondelpark, Various times
Are you trying to cool off this summer? Go to the open air theatre just by the fountain and let the entertainment do the work. From cabaret to drama to concerts to dance, there is something here for everyone and of all ages. Worth a visit just for the atmosphere.
www.openluchttheater.nl
Capoeira Film Festival
Mid-June
Capoeira is a combination of dance, music an martial arts of the black Africans in Brazil. Three day film festival shows movies documenting many different aspects of Capoeira, in the past and today.
www.capoeirafilmfestival.com
The Open Garden Days (Open Tuin Dagen)
Every year third weekend of June
The next Amsterdam Open Garden Days will be on June 20, 21 and 22, 2008
 Amsterdam’s gardens are perhaps its best kept secret as they’re rarely visible from the street. For this weekend you can visit around 30 gardens, some of which are private gardens. You can buy one ticket that gives you entry to all the gardens, and there is a special canal boat to take you from one location to another.
www.grachtenmusea.nl
International Theatre School Festival – ITS
Each year in June
 The ITS festival presents the work of young theatre makers, students of theatre schools from the Netherlands and some chosen European countries, different each year. During the event, not only theatre productions but also mime shows, dance performances as well as operas by young artists are presented. Workshops and attractive parties accompany the event.
www.itsfestival.nl
Amsterdam Roots Festival
Mid-June 2008
Each summer, the Amsterdam Roots Festival presents a wide range of global music and non-western culture. For over 7 days in June, the audience is offered a selection of performances, masterclasses and special projects at different locations.
www.amsterdamroots.nl
Kwakoe Festival
Bijlmerpark (Amsterdam South-East)
'Kwakoe' is a weekend event that takes place every Saturday and Sunday, 10am – 8pm in July and August. In Dutch terms, that makes for about 20 days of pure dancing, eating and anything else in between. Wind down on a hot summers day with theatre, music, film, literature, sport and everything on offer at this very buzzing multicultural and family-oriented festival.
www.kwakoe.nl
Comedytrain International Festival
July – August
Toomler, Breitnerstraat 2, (Wednesday-Friday, 8:30pm – 11:30pm)
Organised by the Toomler comedy café, the 10th edition of this annual festival features the very finest in English language stand-up comedy. With the likes of Adam Hills (Australia), Eddie Bannon (Ireland), Adam Bloom (UK), Paul Provenza (US) and Ron Vaudry (Canada), you will leave Toomler in stitches, guaranteed.
www.comedytrain.nl
Amsterdam International Fashion Week
 19-27 July 2008
Twice a year, an event presenting young and upcoming fashion in Europe, takes place in Amsterdam. AIFW tries to establish Amsterdam on the existing fashion map where Paris, Milan and London dominate. The idea behind the Amsterdam International Fashion Week is to make a step towards art, and while showing new fashion collections and to create the whole range of events like fashion photography exhibitions, museum exhibits about clothing, meetings of retailers and of course parties.
Robeco Summer Concerts (Robeco Zomerconcerten)
July – August
Each summer, informal and entertaining classical music concerts - the Robeco Zomerconcerten take place at the prestigious location of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. The Summer Concerts are sponsored, so the tickets are relatively cheap– they start at € 12,50. This is an excellent opportunity to listen to classical music in one of the world’s most famous philharmonic halls.
www.concertgebouw.nl
De Parade
Martin Luther King Park (various times)
Nowadays, the parade stands proud as one of the few travelling festivals in the world. Inspired by traditional circuses, the park offers a brilliant kaleidoscope of brightly coloured tents making it simply picture perfect. De parade may look like an old-fashioned fairground but it promises a very action packed 17 days of 75 spectacles, featuring dance, theatre, magic, art, animation and music.
www.deparade.nl
Gay Pride
1 - 3 August 2008
The Gay pride festival presents an extensive programme with sports, cultural activities and parties. The highlight of the Amsterdam Gay Pride is the canal parade on 2 August, which is a carnivalesque, cultural and slightly naughty boat parade through Amsterdam's canals.
www.amsterdamgaypride.nl
Grachtenfestival
 16 - 27 August 2008
For five days, special locations in the heart of Amsterdam form the backdrop for more than 80 classical concerts. The concerts can be enjoyed in houses and gardens of hospitable local inhabitants and in concert halls, historic buildings, museums and out of doors in the area around Prinsengracht.
www.grachtenfestival.nl
Sail Amsterdam
August 2010
SAIL Amsterdam is a large maritime manifestation that takes place every 5 years. For six days, Amsterdam will be a vibrant exhibition of historic ships and nautical heritage. About 20 tall ships are expected in Amsterdam harbour, together with 500 historic sailing and motorboats.
www.sail.nl
BlijBurg
April 30th - August 30th
Ijburg, (Monday-Wednesday, 10am – late)
Bring a picnic and a bucket and spade to Blijburg or 'Happyville,' a man-made temporary swimming beach complete with a funky restaurant–bar, DJs and bands. A vast array of hip Dutch architecture will be on show. Just check the weather in advance!
Uitmarkt
Last weekend of August
Considered to be the largest cultural event in Amsterdam, the Uitmarkt is definitely worth a visit. Organised every year during the last weekend of August, it celebrates the official opening of the Dutch Cultural and offers performances, concerts, exhibitions, drama, countless workshops and a book market. And if you are still in doubt, the entrance is totally free!
Flower Parade Aalsmeer - Amsterdam
First Saturday in September
A three-kilometre long ribbon of flower-bedecked floats travel through the area. About one million flowers will be used. To be spot between Aalsmeer and Amsterdam.
IBC Amsterdam
Beginning of September each year
The International Broadcasting Convention is along with the Las Vegas NAB show, the most important yearly meeting of the television, broadcasting and digital cinema professionals of the whole world. In its exhibition, IBC shows each year the latest technology equipment from all over the world, while its conference informs participants about the dominating business ideas not only regarding broadcasting technology but also content, management as well as new trends in all fields.
Inside Design Amsterdam
 (four days in mid-September of each year)
Organized by a Dutch interior magazine Elle Wonen, the Inside Design Amsterdam event presents best design shops in the city, adding to it a number of special presentations, exhibits, fashion shows and lectures about design as well as free sessions of interior decoration advising and festive parties. Each year, the event has new, interesting main topics as "food design" or "landscape architecture". Inside Design organizers issue a map with shops, restaurants, galleries and museums participating in the event.
Jordaan Festival
19-21 September 2008
Jordaan (various times)
A big inner city street festival celebrating the diversity of this former working class district. Features this year include drum bands, a children's festival, opera and cabaret, a boules competition, a flea market and an auction.
www.jordaanfestival.nl
Robodock arts festival
each year in mid-September
A unique festival presenting contemporary art shows in the huge, old NDSM shipyard depot, in the Amsterdam North. The atmosphere is rough, industrial, experimental. A lot of loud music, fire, smoke, noise and heavy machinery are usually elements of these performances. New and always inspiring, under condition that you are into this kind of art.
www.robodock.org
Nationale Restaurant Week
Two times a year, restaurants all over the Netherlands organize a week long event, during which they offer to their clients a full 3 course dinner for a mere € 25,-. The National Dining Week is a truly great idea giving the opportunity to taste the food at some of the best Amsterdam eating places. A list of the participating restaurants changes – to check for the place of your interest look at: http://www.restaurantweek.nl/en/cities/amsterdam/restaurants
ING Amsterdam marathon
Sunday 19 October 2008
This 33th edition of Amsterdam marathon, indeed the oldest marathon in The Netherlands.
www.amsterdammarathon.nl
Museum Night – Museumnacht
On Saturday night in a first week of November each year Amsterdam’s museums open through the night, most with special programmes.
www.n8.nl
pAn Amsterdam – Art and Antique Fair
Third week of November
The biggest national antique fair in the Netherlands takes place in Amsterdam, and lasts for the full week. No wonder, as can be no hasty decisions made in the timeless fields of art and antiques. pAn takes place at the RAI congress and exhibition center. Last years showing also more of modern art of good quality, pAn is a fun to visit, even if you do not intend to buy anything.
www.pan-amsterdam.nl
High Times Cannabis Cup
23 - 27 November 2008
Pax Party House. Melkweg, various coffeehouses, (various times). Six days of pure hedonism: music, events, forums, and tasting sessions.
www.cannabiscup.com
Crossing Border Festival
19-22 November 2008, The Hague
International literature festival, Programme not yet available but last year’s talents included the likes of Germaine Greer, Lou Reed, Eddi Reader, the Flaming Lips, David Sylvian, Joseph O'Connor, Bob Geldof and Monica Ali.
www.crossingborder.nl
Shadow festival
End of November each year
 A small film festival, which functions in the shadow of the bigger event – the Amsterdam international documentary film festival - IDFA. The Shadow Festival concentrates on unusual and creative documentaries with an original style. It often presents the work of the students of the film schools. There are open discussions with the film author after each screening. An interesting event, which promotes exchange of new ideas.
IDFA - International Documentary Filmfestival of Amsterdam
20 - 30 November 2008
Leidseplein, (various times)
International documentary festival screens 200 documentary films and videos.
www.idfa.nl
Arrival of Saint Nicholas
Sunday in the middle of November each year
The tradition of Saint Nicholas bringing gifts to children, celebrated in many countries, is an extraordinary occasion in Amsterdam. Saint Nicholas surrounded by his black servants arrives on a deck of a ship to Amsterdam. Later, the whole parade in a festive way accompanies him to the city center. Hundreds of thousands of children greet the procession. Customarily five tons of candies are given away. The parade ends on the Leidseplein, where Amsterdam mayor welcomes Saint Nicholas.
Christmas Day and Boxing Day
December 25, December 26
If you find yourself there this Christmas here are a few suggestions to help you pass the time and incorporate a little Dutch culture into your holidays.
New Year's Eve
December 31
New Year is another wild celebration. The Dutch often stay home with their families until midnight, and many bars open just then. The spots that are seriously crowded include Leidseplein, Rembrandtsplein and Nieumarkt. Many venues offer New Year  parties. From midnight the sky lights up as the whole of the city sets of fireworks.
What's up in Amsterdam
For special tips and alternative events please check out:
Shark's What's On in Amsterdam agenda!
Important events outside of Amsterdam
Floriade – world gardening exhibition
April to October 2012 in Venlo
 Floriade, officially called World Horticulture Fair, is a big gardening exhibition, which has been organized each ten years since 1960 in the Netherlands. The scale of the fair is enormous as Floriade usually presents almost a hundred flower shows, with participants from all over the world. The fair lasts through changing year seasons, attracting more than two millions of visitors. The next Floriade will take place in 2012, in the region of Venlo.
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