Bored of visiting the same places and doing the same activities? The Netherlands is not only the land of windmills and picturesque canals, it's also a place where musical vibes can be felt in every corner. From the famous Amsterdam Dance Event to classical music and jazz festivals in picturesque surroundings, the Netherlands offers a musical experience for all tastes and preferences. With this article, we want to invite you to experience the vibrant world of concerts and festivals in the Netherlands!
The 7 most famous music festivals and more, as well as concerts are featured in this article, so make sure you read it to the end because I assure you that there is something for you in 2024 or early 2025 as tickets are selling fast!
Festivals
Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
Organised from 16 to 20 October 2024, the ADE festival consists of more than 1,000 musical events per year, organised by over 200 clubs and cultural institutions. This means that the Amsterdam Dance Event Foundation does not organise the individual events themselves, but invites external events to join the annual festival. Every year, ADE is hosted by very established venues as well as unknown and surprising places, covering not only every part of the city but also a wide variety of electronic music. For more details, I invite you to take a look at the website. ADE Festival 2024 | ADE (amsterdam-dance-event.nl).
North Sea Jazz Festival
For jazz fans, Rotterdam hosts the North Sea Jazz Festival from 12 to 14 July, known as the event where the past, present and future of jazz are showcased over three days. The festival has been held since 1976, when it was organised in The Hague. In addition to jazz, there will be various genres of music such as blues, soul, funk, hip hop, international music, pop and more. In addition, you can enjoy listening to top artists from all over the world, and have the chance to discover new favourites. If we've caught your attention with these musical genres, maybe the festival website will convince you to attend: Tickets | NN North Sea Jazz Festival.
Utrecht Early Music Festival
This summer, Utrecht will be buzzing from 23 August to 1 September thanks to the Old Music Festival! Established in 1982 with the aim of keeping the adventure of old music alive, the Utrecht Old Music Festival has been the flagship production of the Organisatie Oude Muziek, with over 250 concerts and related activities in the city centre, both at the TivoliVredenburg and at other interesting locations. Every year, a special series of over 60 free concerts, as well as various workshops and masterclasses, open this festival to young talent from all over the world. More details about the event can be found here: Utrecht Early Music Festival (oudemuziek.nl).
Mysteryland
For fans of electronic music, Haarlemmermeer, a small town near Amsterdam, will host 300 artists for 3 days. 30, 31 August and 1 September 2024 will resound with the music of international artists such as Fedde le Grand, Nicky Romero, Vini Vici, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano and Yellow Claw, among many others. If you haven't already got your ticket, Mysteryland is waiting for you: Mysteryland | Home.
International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR)
The most awaited event for movie lovers returns! The Rotterdam International Film Festival is one of Europe's leading film festivals. It is organised annually and takes place at the end of January in various locations in Rotterdam, focusing on independent and experimental films. The first festival took place in June 1972, led by its founder Huub Bals. This year's edition runs from 30 January to 9 February, and more details are available here: Homepage | IFFR.
Amsterdam Grachtenfestival
The 27th Grachten festival will take place from 23 August to 1 September in more than 100 locations in the Dutch capital. This is the country's largest music festival, focusing on showcasing young talent (up to the age of 35) from the world of classical and jazz music. There will be open-air concerts on the canals in the city centre, with a dreamy atmosphere, especially at the evening concerts, but also at various venues in the central area. More information can be found on the event website - Amsterdam Grachtenfestival, but also on social media platforms and the mobile app.
Amsterdam Light Festival
As I said, we have an event for everyone! Now it's time for Christmas lovers to remember that the Amsterdam Festival of Lights will reopen its doors on 30 November, lighting up the capital in a burst of colour, heralding the coming of winter. If you haven't had a chance to get there yet, you have 2 months in winter to do so and... plenty of time to decide by then! If you need help convincing, visit the website Amsterdam Festival.
Concerts
Concerts are always happening in the Netherlands, but we forget about them unless we see an ad or check a certain website. So I have a list prepared of the most important concerts that will take place in the coming months and we have at least one concert and one date for almost every musical genre:
- Green Day - 19 June in Arnhem (GelreDome)
- Taylor Swift - 4, 5 and 6 July in Amsterdam (Johan Cruijff Arena)
- Pink - 10 and 11 July in Amsterdam (Johan Cruijff Arena)
Ziggo Domme will be home to many concerts this year. Highlights include:
- 8 May J Balvin
- 9 May Sam Smith
- 23-24 May, 3 June Nicky Minaj
- 24-25-26 May Olivia Rodrigo
- 26-27 May Nickelback
- 29 May - 2 June Annouk
- 11 June, 3 October Jonnas Brothers
- 11-12 June Scorpions
- 12-13 June Rod Stewart
- 1 July Lenny Kravitz
- 15, 16, 19 August Justin Timberlake
- 28 October Cigarettes After Sex
- 26 November Kygo
- 5 December Slipknot
Add to that concerts in places like Paradiso or Melkweg in Amsterdam, Ahoy or De Doelen in Rotterdam and TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht, which are just a click away from you!
So, we hope we've convinced you and you're already getting ready to enjoy unforgettable experiences and get carried away by the unique vibes of concerts and festivals in the Netherlands!
An article by Ioana Orășteanu.
Ioana is a student at the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, International Business program. She likes to spend as much time as possible outside the home doing all sorts of activities. For this reason, she also decided to join the Rompro team to write articles on various topics, such as travel, unique activities and destinations to visit in the Netherlands.