Essentially Amsterdam – Sunday, August 23, 2026

Sunday August 23, 2026

Good morning, Amsterdam. Today: a quieter city following Lowlands festival departures, Latvian folk rituals and jazz storytelling at Treehouse NDSM, and a plum tasting and farmers market at Rijksmuseum Muiderslot.

Lowlands festival departure leaves Amsterdam unusually quiet: Thousands of residents have travelled to Biddinghuizen for the Lowlands festival, leaving local terraces and streets noticeably calmer. City venues are responding with special events and drinks for those who stayed behind.

Amsterdam to Berlin trains rerouted via Hamburg: Long-term railway construction between Hannover and Berlin will divert Dutch trains to Germany via Hamburg starting this October. The detour adds an hour to the trip and cuts daily departures to four.

Netflix office renovation disrupts Karperstraat residents for months: Residents on Karperstraat report sleep loss and parking issues from long renovation works at the Netflix office. The municipality will step up site inspections as building work runs until March 2027.

NS carries record 55,000 fans to Zandvoort: National rail operator NS transported more than 55,000 Formula 1 fans to Zandvoort on Saturday morning alone. Long queues stretched through Amsterdam Centraal and outside the station ahead of qualifying.

Partial lunar eclipse visible across Netherlands next Friday: A partial lunar eclipse will cover roughly 93% of the Moon early next Friday morning. The event reaches its peak at 6:14 a.m. just before the Moon sets.

Dutch festivals and venues launch own resale platforms: More Dutch music venues, clubs, and festivals are launching in-house ticket resale platforms. The shift lets organizers cap prices, reduce ticket fraud, and keep direct contact with attendees.

EU packaging rules create burden for small webshops: New European Union packaging regulations are causing major bureaucratic challenges for small online retailers. Business owner Dave Verzijl described the incoming compliance rules as an administrative nightmare.

Longstay hotel approved in Amsterdam-West after 12 years: The Council of State has dismissed all objections against a planned longstay hotel on the Jan Pieter Heijestraat in Amsterdam-West. The ruling gives final legal clearance to the project, twelve years after plans were first announced.

Cleaner air adds months to Amsterdam life expectancy: Air pollution in Amsterdam has dropped by 50% since 2010, leading to measurable gains in local life expectancy. The municipality aims to make all traffic in the city emission-free by 2030.

Playful flea circus performance for kids at Villa Kakofonie: A playful flea circus performance aimed at local kids, tackling neighbourhood quirks and tall tales from the Jordaan. Villa Kakofonie. FAMILY SHOW

Childrens theatre show Later als ik groot ben at De Toverknol: 23 August, 10:30, De Toverknol. FAMILY SHOW

Lego robotics workshop for kids at Move Amsterdam: Kids aged six to ten work in pairs using Lego Spike kits to build, motorise and code functioning robots. 23 August, Move Amsterdam. KIDS WORKSHOP

Pluk de Nacht marks ten years of family festival fun: Films and daytime activities planned for children and their families, marking ten years of the festival’s junior programme. 23 August, Pluk de Nacht. FAMILY SHOW

Family fantasy film The Magic Faraway Tree at EYE Film Museum: Ben Gregor directs this family fantasy following three children who swap electronic screens for a countryside adventure. 23 August, 14:45, EYE Film Museum. FAMILY SHOW

Free science and coding workshop for kids in Amstelveen: A free seventy-five-minute hands-on science and coding workshop run for kids aged seven to fourteen. 23 August, 11:00, Buurtkamer Keizer Karelpark, Amstelveen. KIDS WORKSHOP

Latvian folk rituals meet jazz storytelling at Treehouse NDSM: Latvian folk ritual meets jazz improvisation and classical piano in a live storytelling set from the award-nominated vocalist. 23 August, 20:00, Treehouse NDSM.

Texas country singer Erin Kinsey brings Nashville tunes to Melkweg: The Texas-born country singer brings her Nashville songwriting catalogue and debut EP tunes to the OZ hall. 23 August, 19:30, Melkweg.

Stella Chen and Antwerp Symphony Orchestra perform at The Concertgebouw: Marc Albrecht leads the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra through Beethoven’s classic, joined by the American violinist for Dvořák’s concerto. 23 August, 20:00, The Concertgebouw.

French chansons and jazz standards fill the Hortus Botanicus gardens: French chansons and jazz standards fill the botanical gardens across two early evening sets with saxophone accompaniment. 23 August, 17:30 – 19:15, Hortus Botanicus.

Samuel Frerichs and Rembrandt Trio play Vondelpark Openluchttheater: Walk-in benches get released five minutes before the afternoon double bill starts on the park’s open-air stage. 23 August, 12:00, Vondelpark Openluchttheater.

Chibi Ichigo and Lo perform outdoors at Vondelpark Openluchttheater: Unreserved spots open up five minutes before showtime at the park’s open-air stage for this afternoon performance. 23 August, 15:00, Vondelpark Openluchttheater.

A family friendly afternoon rave takes over Noorderlicht: A family-friendly afternoon rave with live DJs, a glitter bar, soft play areas, and crafts for parents and kids. 23 August, 13:00, Noorderlicht.

Spanish piano duo plays a classical four hands museum recital: Spanish classical pianists Juan Pedro García Oliva and Carlos Marín Rayo join forces for a four-hands museum recital. 23 August, 17:00, Pianola Museum.

Afternoon DJ sets and street food in the garden at Tolhuistuin: Eight DJ sets run through the afternoon in the garden, with street food on hand from Sababa. 23 August, 13:00, Tolhuistuin.

Bigband Westend plays jazz and pop at Openluchttheater Elsrijk: Eighteen musicians led by Gerard Kleijn and singer Dieke van Hoften work through a broad set of jazz and pop. 23 August, 15:00 – 15:00, Openluchttheater Elsrijk, Amstelveen.

Duo Paredes and Scholtes perform chamber sonatas in a canal house: Violinist Eduardo Paredes and pianist Lestari Scholtes play chamber sonatas by Brahms and Respighi inside a canal house. 23 August, 15:30 – 17:00, Grachtenhuis Rozengracht 55 H.

Plum tasting and farmers market at Rijksmuseum Muiderslot: Tasting the plum harvest in the orchard alongside a regional farmers market celebrating a seventeenth-century castle tradition. 22 August, 10:00 – 17:00, Rijksmuseum Muiderslot. FESTIVALS

Houseboat festival offers tips and living advice at Marineterrein: Stalls set up across the grounds offer practical advice, questions answered and insights into living on a houseboat. 23 August, Marineterrein. FESTIVALS

Cruise past Durgerdam on the local IJ-Buurtveer ferry: Hop on the local ferry for water views across the northern and southern banks, running out past Durgerdam. 23 August, 11:00, Steiger 14.

New community garden opens with bluegrass music and free ice cream: Children’s games, free ice cream and live bluegrass from The Unborn Brothers mark the new green space opening. 23 August, 16:00, Ambonplein. FESTIVALS

Amstelveen street festival brings longtime locals and newcomers together: Bankras residents gather outdoors to help longtime locals and newer arrivals get to know one another. 23 August, 14:00 – 20:00, Parelvisserslaan / Carmenlaan. FESTIVALS

Living room festival brings intimate performances to local homes: Local living rooms, houseboats and community centres host small-scale cabaret, comedy, music and personal stories. 23 August, 14:30, Verschillende locaties. FESTIVALS

Neighbours gather on Hemonyplein for afternoon drinks and music: Local neighbours gather on the square for an informal Sunday afternoon of drinks, snacks and music. 23 August, 15:00 – 19:00, Hemonyplein, De Pijp. FESTIVALS

Dozens of artists paint outdoors across Amstelveen for Museum Cobra: Over eighty artists paint outdoors across Amstelveen, selling their fresh work directly before Sunday’s gallery show. 23 August, 10:00, Museum Cobra. WORKSHOP

Step back to the 1930s jazz era at ZOJazz Stage: Tap dancer Marike Hetjes leads a family afternoon exploring 1930s jazz movement through music, archive footage, and steps. 23 August, 15:00, ZOJazz Stage. WORKSHOP

Games and outdoor fun at Het Machinegebouw community afternoon: Board games, ping-pong, sjoelbak and an outdoor terrace with trampolines open for an easy community afternoon in Noord. 23 August, 13:00, Het Machinegebouw, Buikslotermeerdijk 95, Amsterdam, 1027 GE, Nederland. GAMES / HOBBIES

Paint your own oil landscape in a Bob Ross workshop: An open-air workshop where a certified instructor guides you step by step to paint your own landscape with oil paints. 23 August, 11:00, Mosveld 75. WORKSHOP

Early morning birdwatching by electric boat in the Amsterdamse Bos: An open electric boat glides through the quiet waterways of the woods for ninety minutes of early morning birdwatching. 23 August, 08:30 – 08:30, Bosterras – De Amsterdamse Manege. TOUR

Morning yoga and meditation among the art at Van Gogh Museum: A morning of classical yoga and meditation followed by time to wander the galleries and view the paintings mentioned in class. 23 August, 09:30, Van Gogh Museum. CLASS

Afternoon painting and drinks in the courtyard at het Rijk van de Keizer: Cheyenne hosts a relaxed afternoon of painting and drinks in the courtyard, with no experience needed to take a canvas home. 23 August, 15:00 – 17:00, het Rijk van de Keizer. WORKSHOP

Outdoor elderflower exploration for families at De Ceuvel: An outdoor family exploration of elderflower stories and nature, aimed at kids aged five to fourteen alongside their parents. 23 August, 11:00, De Ceuvel. TOUR

Casual Mario Kart racing and mini tournament at Aloha: Big screens, bar drinks, and friendly casual racing with the option to jump into a mini tournament across the afternoon. 23 August, 16:00, Aloha, De Ruijterkade 151. GAMES / HOBBIES

Stitch a custom leather journal cover at Amsterdam House of Arts & Crafts: Pick your leather, stamps, and charms to build and stitch a custom notebook sleeve by hand. 23 August, 10:30, Amsterdam House of Arts & Crafts. WORKSHOP

Satkara: A newly opened restaurant on Reguliersdwarsstraat offering Indian and Nepalese fine dining in the center of the city. RESTAURANT

Mano Bakery: A bakery on the Kinkerstraat in West, opened and run by an Italian couple, Lara and Alex. BAR / CAFÉ

Dubble: A coffee spot and listening cafe on Bilderdijkstraat serving natural wine among designer chairs and a serious sound system. BAR / CAFÉ

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