The Uitmarkt in Amsterdam
Last weekend of August, Friday till Sunday evening.
With events occurring all over the centre of the city, like two years ago at the Museumplein, the Leidseplein, or like this year at the ‘Oostenlijk Havengebied’, the mass event is great to be a part of and hard to miss. So follow the 500.000 Amsterdammers that visit the festival of the year. Also referred to as ‘the mother of all cultural activities in Amsterdam’, it provides a platform and a podium for virtually every cultural institution in the area.
As the event always radiates a very harmonious, festive and great ambiance, what stands out the most are the more then 400 free previews and 2000 artists performing and it’s open mass concerts. There are solo singers, famous and less famous groups, or sing along musicals. But this is only the most visible part of the festival If you take a closer look, the Uitmarkt also provides the curious bystander with exhibitions, performances, different art studios previews and countless workshops. The Uitmarkt Junior concentrates on cultural activities for children and is organised on a particular location.
And last but not least, you can’t visit the Uitmarkt without visiting it’s famous book market first. It is the only one in Holland and unique in it’s kind. It welcomes 100’s of publishers with their latest editions and the antiquarians with a variety of their older editions. The chances are big that you will find some international English book titles. At the information market, the 250 cultural institutions share with their public the various and specific information regarding their programmes and their classes, that can vary from opera classes to workshops in professional clownery. The artists and organisations advertise their goods, standing on real soapboxes (zeepbox) like in the old days. And alongside every event there is always the music in the background to celebrate the beginning of the Dutch cultural and creative season. From the generally interested bystander to the more specifically focused visitor, there is fun for everyone. So get down to Uitmarkt and get involved!
For more information: go to: www.uitmarkt.nl