Search our own selection of events. In English, with clear
descriptions how to get to the location & where to get
tickets.
You can also browse the event locations with pictures,
(together with event listings).
General events pages
Amsterdam Uitburo
Very comprehensive site with events in Amsterdam, in Dutch language.
Music & Opera
Concerts and Operas in Amsterdam and around the
world.
Music & Opera presents the detailed programmes of
more
than 500 venues – You can choose events all over the
world and request your tickets.
On Stage
General theatre site (in Dutch)
Ticket Service
Not specifically Amsterdam, but has tickets online for various performances. Site in Dutch/English.
Friday Night Skate Amsterdam
Every Friday night a skating tour is organized through Amsterdam.
Ticket Unlimited
Wide selection of tickets for (sold out) concerts,
sports events, dance events and theatre shows.
Underwater Amsterdam
Another listing of events in Amsterdam.
Jazzserver
jazz website, including jazz agenda in English.
National website, but you can also search on city.
Amsterdam Event Guide
A website of upcoming music, art and film events in the amazing city of Amsterdam (in English).
Events
Jordaan Festival
Yearly (street) party with traditional 'Jordanese' music, in the centre of Amsterdam.
Amsterdam Dance Event
A 3-night festival and conference ('biggest club festival in the world') with hundreds of international DJs and artists in clubs in Amsterdam, DJ cafés, record stores, lounges and art galleries.
Held in the 2nd half of October.
Grachtenfestival (Canal festival)
Music festival held every year, mainly near the Prinsengracht canal. Hightlight: the Prinsengracht Concert, on a float in front of the Pulitzer hotel near the Westerkerk.
Amsterdam Antiquarian Book & Print Fair
Yearly fair where dealers in old books show and sell antiquarian books and prints.
Art plein Spui
Every Sunday at the ''Spui'' in Amsterdam there is an exhibition in the open air with recent work of sixty Dutch and international professional artists.
Dance Valley
Yearly big dance party in the Spaarnwoude recreation park, near Amsterdam
Muziek 4-daagse
Yearly classical music festival
Amsterdam Culinair
Amsterdam Culinair is a yearly event where restaurants show their specialties in tents, and the public can taste.
ING Amsterdam Marathon
Yearly marathon in Amsterdam
Amsterdam International Fashion Week
'AIFW is steadily establishing itself as a young and directional alternative to the world’s more traditional fashion weeks'. The programme includes fashion events, lectures, exhibitions, retail initiatives and parties.
Filmmuseum Biënnale
Two-yearly film festival organized by the Film Museum
Imagine Film Festival
Yearly film festival with horror movies, thrillers and similar (formerly known as Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival)
Cannabis Cup
Yearly competition of Amsterdam coffeeshops, lasting a few days, with various other related events.
International Gaudeamus Music Week
Each year the Gaudeamus Music Week presents a carefully selected cross section of recent developments from the ‘global village’ of
contemporary music.
Bloemencorso Aalsmeer (Flower Parade)
A long ribbon of flower-covered floats will be making its way from Aalsmeer, through Amstelveen and Amsterdam. Yearly event, but 2007 is the last time.
Amsterdams Bevrijdingsfestival (Liberation Festival)
Yearly festival at the occasion of Liberation Day (May 5, Holland was liberated on that date in 1945 from German occupation at the end of World War II)
Amsterdam Roots Festival
Lots of interesting music from other continents (African/Arabic/South American, etc). One of the main parts is the free open-air festival in the Oosterpark in Amsterdam East.
Holland Festival
Yearly art festival. A wide variety of the stage arts with one characteristic in common: great artistic quality and an international dimension.
Aqua Musica Festival
Yearly music festival on ships and around the harbour East of Amsterdam Central Station.
Uitmarkt
Yearly 3-day festival throughout the centre of Amsterdam, called the 'start of the theatre season', with hundreds of small free try-out performances. Attracts a few hundred thousands visitors every year.
easyLaughs
Improvisation comedy shows in English every Friday
night.
Kwakoe Festival
Yearly summer festival in Amsterdam South-East, attracting many thousands of visitors. This is THE event of the black/African/Surinamese community in Holland- music, sports, food, etc.
Lasts some 6 weeks, and is on Saturday and Sunday.
Amsterdam Pride
Yearly (gay pride) canal parade, with a lot of decorated boats. The boat parade is the first Saturday in August, along the Prinsengracht canal (and Amstel, Zwanenburgwal, Oudeschans, end: Oosterdok).
Open Monuments Day (Open Monumentendag)
Actually a few days, a lot of old buildings (throughout the Netherlands) that are normally closed open their doors for the general public.
Yearly event.
Waterval Festival
New cultural festival in Amsterdam, set up to become a yearly event. Every day other musicians and artists, activities for children, rowing boat rentals, etc. Located around the Sloterplas lake in Amsterdam West.
Dam to Dam Run / Dam tot Dam Loop
The biggest running event in the Netherlands. Participants run from the centre of Amsterdam to the centre of Zaandam ('Dam square to Dam square').
Two 7's Splash Festival
Yearly reggae festival
Museum Night (Museumnacht)
Special night, held every year, in which dozens of museums are open during the night. Most museums combine this with special events.
Julidans
Summer festival that takes place annually in a number of venues around Leidseplein and offers a rich overview of contemporary dance.
Pluk de nacht
Yearly open air film festival with a selection of unreleased independent arthouse cinema, documentary, animation and shorts, at location 'het Stenen Hoofd', along the IJ, west of Central Station. Free entrance to all activities.
Stille Omgang (Silent Procession)
Yearly silent procession in Amsterdam, in veneration of the miracle of 15 March 1345 (a host, eaten and vomited by an ill man did not burn in the fireplace).
The procession attracts thousands of pilgrims.
Sail Amsterdam 2010
Major event with tall ships. The next edition is in 2010, in August.
An absolute must-see!
IDFA festival
International Documentary Festival Amsterdam. Big documentary festival held every year in Amsterdam.
Over het IJ-festival
Cultural festival held in Amsterdam North every year.
Hartjesdagen (Hearts Days)
Yearly street festival around the Zeedijk. One of the most popular parts is the parade, where men dress as women, and vice versa.
pAn Amsterdam
'The Art and Antiques Fair of the Low Countries'.
Emphasis placed on art and antiques from the Low Countries, but also modern art and antiques from other countries.
Held every year at the end of the year.
Art Amsterdam (formerly KunstRAI)
Yearly exhibition of art galleries
Roze Filmdagen (Pink Film Festival)
Yearly festival of gay/lesbian movies, in various cinemas.
Euro Art Festival
Yearly modern art festival, held in the Amstelpark
(near RAI train station). With indoor and outdoor
exhibits of paintings, sculptures, digital work, etc.
Locations
Amsterdam Arena
Home of the famous soccer club Ajax. Being the biggest hall/field in Amsterdam, it is used for concerts and other events as well.
RAI Congress Centre
One of the main congress centres in the Netherlands.
Located south of the city centre.
Orgelpark (Organ Park)
Concert venue specializing in (church) organ music, in a former church. There are 3 large organs (4th planned for 2009) and there are regular concerts.
Wednesday afternoons there are free performances by conservatory students.
Arti et Amicitiae
This building of the Artist's Society is 'neither a museum nor a gallery'. Rather a 'laboratory for visual arts'. Has regular exhibitions.
Church 'de Duif'
Organizes free lunch concerts. This church dates from 1796.
Amsterdam City Archives / Stadsarchief Amsterdam
The official municipal archives (sometimes organizes exhibitions and lectures).
Noorderkerk Concerten
Concerts in the Noorderkerk (church built in 1620), located in the Jordaan area (web site in Dutch only)
English Reformed Church (Engelse Kerk)
Church in the Begijnhof, dating from the 15th century. Services in English, and regular concerts.
Waalse Kerk (Wallonian Church)
This church dates back to 1409. Since 1578 it became a church for protestant refugees from France (hence Wallonian church). The church hosts frequent concerts, mostly classical music.
Buiksloterkerk
Church in Amsterdam North dating from 1609, now used for cultural activities. Has regular concerts, click on 'Activiteiten' to see what's on.
Obrechtkerk
Church in Amsterdam South, with regular music performances
Sint Nicolaaskerk (church)
19th century catholic church. Website is of foundation organizing musical events in the church (also performances on the Sauer organ in the church).
Singelkerk (Doopsgezinde gemeente)
Mennonite church, also sometimes location for concerts.
NDSM Werf
A former large ship wharf.
The NDSM wharf has several big halls, making it the place for large parties and festivals.
