Essentially Amsterdam – Thursday, October 1, 2026

Thursday October 1, 2026

Good morning, Amsterdam. Today: parliament backs a Schiphol cap of 478,000 flights a year, Amsterdam’s forgotten blue pottery goes on show at the Stadsarchief, and a Noordermarkt haberdasher retires at 86 after 44 years.

The activities listed below are just a curated sample of what’s going on in Amsterdam. Check out our completely redesigned events calendar here.

Parliament backs Schiphol cap of 478,000 flights a year: A majority in the lower house supports the first new Schiphol aviation decree in eighteen years. It cuts night flights and noise, but the opposition warns that lawsuits are already planned.

Noordermarkt haberdasher retires at 86 after 44 years: Tineke Tonkes is spending her last week at the Noordermarkt, where she has sold sewing supplies since the early 1980s. She says she will miss her customers and fellow traders most.

Overtoom rehabilitation centre swaps graffiti for murals: Two graffiti-covered walls at the Reade rehabilitation centre on the Overtoom are now colourful artworks. Sales of signed prints of the main mural will fund a children’s playground.

Rain is back, and so is work for Amsterdam’s sunken boat raisers: A two-person salvage business in Amsterdam had little work during an extremely dry summer. Now that heavy rain has returned, more boats are sinking and their work is picking up again.

Neighbourhood farm Ons Genoegen leaves Marineterrein and reopens in Westerpark on 1 November: Ons Genoegen closed on the Marineterrein in mid-September after the state declined to extend its temporary permit. The farm reopens in its restored Westerpark building on 1 November.

Skinny jeans party at Club Up aims to win Leidseplein back for Amsterdammers: A party at Club Up last weekend was an attempt to win Leidseplein back for the people who live in the city. It started on an Instagram page, and guests were asked to wear skinny jeans.

Westerpark children’s farm reopens on Sunday 4 October after long renovation: Boerderij Westerpark officially reopens on Sunday 4 October after renovation work that began early this year. The meadow and stable have been improved, and new paths make the grounds easier for prams and wheelchairs.

New work-study course aims to fix pool staff shortage: An Amsterdam vocational college is launching a paid course for swimming instructors after staff shortages kept pools closed. Applications are open now, and 14 to 20 students can start in January.

Skateles voor Kids, a skateboard lesson for children: Children get a skateboarding lesson at the skate cafe, in a late-afternoon slot that sits comfortably after the school day. 1 October, 16:00, Skatecafe. 📅 SPORTS (ACTIVE)

Taxidermy crocodiles and a T-Rex at the Art Zoo Museum: A 17th-century canal house on the Herengracht full of taxidermy birds, snakes and crocodiles, seen from large aviaries looking into the rooms. 1 October, 10:00 – 17:00, Art Zoo Museum. 📅 MUSEUM / EDUCATIONAL

Kinderboekenweek musical about Anansi the spider, for school groups only: Klein Amsterdam Producties turns an Anansi picture book into a musical for ages three up, but these are closed primary school shows. 1 October, 09:45 – 13:45, Plein Theater. 📅 FAMILY SHOW

Storytime with Charlene for toddlers and preschoolers: Stories and a sing-along for toddlers and preschoolers, a monthly Thursday morning session among the shelves of a specialist children’s bookshop. 1 October, 10:30, De Kinderboekwinkel. 📅 STORY / READING

Het Onzichtbare Zichtbaar, a forest art trail with tasks for kids: Collect a free bag of materials at the Boswinkel and follow the outdoor art route, making art and hunting for soil life. 1 October, De Boswinkel. 📅 OUTDOOR / ACTIVE

Read-aloud time for children five and up at the Voorleesatelier: A read-aloud session for children aged five and over, held in the Jip en Janneke youth corner of the Roelof Hartplein library. 1 October, 15:30, OBA Roelof Hartplein – Jeugdhoek Jip en Janneke. 📅 STORY / READING

Spot Aan!, the Kinderboekenweek library treasure hunt for ages 6+: Children aged six and up work through a treasure hunt around the public library, part of this year’s Kinderboekenweek programme. 1 October, 10:00, OBA. 📅 MUSEUM / EDUCATIONAL

Kinderboekenweek bingo hunt through Scheltema’s shelves: Hidden around the shop are characters from Loes Riphagen’s Daar gaan we weer, and every completed bingo card wins a prize. 1 October, Scheltema, tweede verdieping. 📅 FESTIVAL / FAIR

Jalen Ngonda’s soul set for Super-Sonic Jazz: A soul night in the Main Hall, with Brooke Combe warming up first and the headline set starting at 20:30. 1 October, 19:30, Paradiso. 📅 DANCE / PERFORMANCE

Argentine trap and funk on CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso’s Free Spirits tour: An Argentine duo mixing trap, hip-hop, funk and rock, touring their album FREE SPIRITS, with Agata Malczewska opening before a 21:00 start. 1 October, 20:00 – 22:40, AFAS Live. 📅 DANCE / PERFORMANCE

Radio Waves, the sixth album from The Bones of J.R. Jones, live: Jonathon Linaberry, whose songs turned up in True Detective and Daredevil, plays material from his sixth album, Radio Waves. 1 October, 19:30, Tolhuistuin. 📅 DANCE / PERFORMANCE

Cantique des cantiques with the Nederlands Kamerkoor: The Nederlands Kamerkoor, a professional Dutch chamber choir, sings an evening programme named after the Song of Songs. 1 October, 20:15, Muziekgebouw. 📅 DANCE / PERFORMANCE

Scouting For Girls: British indie-pop trio Scouting For Girls return to Melkweg after 15 years, playing singalong hits like "This Ain’t a Love Song" plus songs from their 2023 album, with Simon Joan supporting. 1 October, 19:30, Melkweg. 📅 POP / ROCK

Vibraphone with the trio at Volkshotel’s Jazz Thursdays: Vibraphonist Frits Landesbergen, who has played with Toots Thielemans, sits in with the Amsterdam Jazz Trio, and entry is free. 1 October, 20:00, Werkplaats, Volkshotel. 📅 JAZZ / BLUES

Free Lunch Concert with Jung-A Lee in the Begijnhof: Jung-A Lee gives a free lunchtime concert in the church tucked inside the Begijnhof courtyard. 1 October, 13:00, English Reformed Church. 📅 DANCE / PERFORMANCE

Four bands on one bill for Zonneprijs #1 in Noord: Four acts, Dear Valencia, The Places You’ll Go, Nose Shop and Tales, share the bill on the first Zonneprijs night. 1 October, 19:30, ‘t Zonnehuis. 📅 DANCE / PERFORMANCE

Hackers & Founders Meetup in a Jordaan café: Drinks and chat at Café de Muurbloem on the Bloemgracht, plus a talk by Appril Festival founder Jacqueline de Gruyter on neurofeedback. 1 October, 19:00, Café de Muurbloem. 📅 NETWORKING

Tech Mammas happy hour, listed for São Paulo: Worth checking before you go: the organiser’s own page places this Tech Mammas happy hour in São Paulo, not Amsterdam. 1 October, 22:30, Central. 📅 NETWORKING

Build an AI sparring partner in ChatGPT or Claude: For founders, freelancers and operators: bring a laptop and your AI account, work with Obed Abbo, then stay for drinks until 20:00. 1 October, 16:00, Spaces Keizersgracht. 📅 WORKSHOP / TRAINING

Pitch Elevator speed dates for founders and seed investors: Four pre-matched 15-minute investor speed dates for pre-seed and seed founders, though sign-up closed 22 September and late names are waitlisted. 1 October, 13:00, World Trade Center Amsterdam. 📅 NETWORKING

The Art of Networking & Making Coffee, with a barista workshop: Lifestyle entrepreneurs make introductions, then learn espresso, cappuccino and basic latte art at the machines, dressed in Italian Business Chic. 1 October, 10:00, SMEG Showroom. 📅 NETWORKING

Fair Practice in de cultuursector: pay and conditions in the arts: An evening on fair practice in the cultural sector, the question of how artists and cultural workers are paid and treated. 1 October, 20:00, Pakhuis de Zwijger. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS

Oscar contenders among more than 100 new IDFA titles: The documentary festival has added more than 100 films and projects to this year’s programme. Its 39th edition runs from 12 to 22 November in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam’s forgotten blue pottery to go on show at Stadsarchief: A free exhibition tells the story of an 18th-century pottery factory on the Overtoom whose products matched those from Delft. Archaeologists found its misfired pieces when the building was demolished in 1970.

Trump impressions and US politics in Greg Shapiro’s King Me: A Dutch-American comedian mixes stand-up, personal stories and Trump impressions to pick apart US politics, in English with a touch of Dutch. 1 October, 20:00 – 20:00, Theater De Landing. 📅 THEATER

Who’s in Town lecture: Paul Verhagen on the end of nations: A 45-minute lunchtime lecture in the AUC Common Room, where the alumnus and strategy fellow argues tech has outpaced political institutions. 1 October, 13:00, Amsterdam University College (AUC), Common Room. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS

Seriously Silly, longer sets from Kristina Jak and Prashant Khanchandani: Two comics working out longer sets in English, one a TUNA 2025 winner, the other adding characters, physical bits, maybe a prop. 1 October, 20:00, OOSTerBAR. 📅 COMEDY

Amsterdam English Improv Nights turn personal stories into scenes: Weekly and in English, the showcase has performers turning personal stories into scenes nobody has scripted. 1 October, 19:00, Dopamine Comedy Club, Cornelis Trooststraat, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 📅 THEATER

Nutty Anita’s comedy night with Dave Thompson, vegan dinner first: Ken Parsons hosts a bill with Dave Thompson and South Africa’s Jens Rabiega, and a vegan three-course dinner is served from 18:00. 1 October, 20:30 – 23:00, De Nieuwe Anita. 📅 THEATER

BANGS Festival’s Dok Night in the Plantage: An early-evening programme at the Plantage theatre, run as one of the nights of the BANGS Festival. 1 October, 18:00, Plantage Dok. 📅 FESTIVALS

Museumweek drop-in tour of Odysseus at Allard Pierson: A walk-in guided tour, part of Museumweek, looking at Odysseus within the Van Nijl tot Amstel exhibition at the university museum. 1 October, 13:00, Allard Pierson. 📅 ART / MUSEUMS

Amsterdamse Liefde book launch in the library: An afternoon book launch for Amsterdamse Liefde, held in the open space of the Olympisch Kwartier library. 1 October, 15:00, OBA Olympisch Kwartier – Open ruimte. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS

Uit je Bubbel film festival night at the library: An evening film screening in the public library, part of its Uit je Bubbel month about stepping outside your own bubble. 1 October, 19:30, OBA. 📅 FILM

Canvas Collectief opening: Nigeria, Genoa and Vincent Goes North: Ima Amu paints daily life in Nigeria, Sven Driesen photographs home in Genoa, and a Van Gogh Museum youth project adds images. 1 October, 17:00 – 19:00, Café de Schelp & begane grond A Lab. 📅 ART / MUSEUMS

Improv Spectacular, Boom Chicago’s long-running English show: The house cast spins audience suggestions into characters, scenes and songs over two acts with a live musician, all in English. 1 October, 20:00, Boom Chicago. 📅 COMEDY

Waag Open: hunt for alternatives to big tech apps: Bring a smartphone, follow clues through the historic building and try privacy-minded apps on the spot, with prizes for most downloads. 1 October, 19:30 – 21:00, Waag Futurelab. 📅 WORKSHOP

Soep Salon, a free neighbourhood supper on Strandeiland: Neighbours cook soup together and eat it, musician Mitch plays, entry is free and you bring your own drink. 1 October, 17:00 – 20:00, De Basket. 📅 SOCIAL / DRINKS

Cyanotype workshops at De Meevaart teach camera-free photography: Artist Henri Blommers will teach one of the oldest photographic techniques over six Monday mornings in Oost. The full series costs €15, and there is room for 15 participants.

Planetary gongs and singing bowls for a Cosmic Sound bath: Participants lie on the church floor while voice and flute join the bowls, so bring your own mat, blanket and pillow. 1 October, 19:30, Posthoornkerk. 📅 CLASS

Carve a lino block and print your own tote bag: A practice print on paper comes first, then your carved linocut goes onto the bag, with art educator Marcia of Arte Boa. 1 October, 15:00 – 16:30, Treehouse NDSM. 📅 WORKSHOP

OBA Middagmakers, an afternoon with the 3D printer: In the Maakplaats, the makerspace inside the central library at Oosterdok, an afternoon session is given over to the 3D printer. 1 October, 14:00, OBA Oosterdok – OBA helpt plein. 📅 WORKSHOP

Dutch, English and Spanish at the Language Exchange Bar Night: Learners, expats and locals practise Dutch, English and Spanish together, free of charge, though joining the organiser’s WhatsApp group is required. 1 October, 19:30, Pacific Park. 📅 SOCIAL / DRINKS

Taalcafé: practise Dutch conversation at the library: Dutch learners get conversation practice in a library taalcafé, gathering mid-afternoon in the Kluun room at Roelof Hartplein. 1 October, 14:30, OBA Roelof Hartplein – Kluun-zaal. 📅 CLASS

Open Organisation of Lockpickers meetup at the Techinc hackerspace: Hobbyists and curious beginners sit together at the hackerspace practising lockpicking, a physical security skill treated here as a hobby. 1 October, 20:00, Techinc. 📅 GAMES / HOBBIES

Bistro de Fles: A new French bistro has opened on the Prinsengracht, serving classic French fare in a traditional setting.

Spin: This new Oud-West bar offers pool tables and vinyl records, creating a relaxed spot for drinks and games.

Café de Schelp: A new café-restaurant in Amsterdam that cooks with the seasons, changing its menu to match what’s fresh.

Want to make sure you never miss a day of Essentially Amsterdam? Subscribe here.