Essentially Amsterdam – Saturday, October 10, 2026

Saturday October 10, 2026

Good morning, Amsterdam. Today: a garage fire largely spares the Olympic Stadium, Cinekid opens a week of children’s films in Noord, and ARTIS holds Penguin Day with crafts and questions for the keepers.

Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium largely spared by garage fire: A fire under the stadium’s car park did little damage to the listed building, but some offices are closed for now. The TCS Amsterdam Marathon can still go ahead.

Middenmeer coach with Parkinson’s wins award for running group: Athletics coach Kees van den Berg received the Respect Award from sports alderman Sofyan Mbarki this week. After his own diagnosis he started a weekly running group for fellow Parkinson’s patients.

Amsterdam’s Witkar tested car-sharing in 1974: The electric two-seat vehicles let members rent a car from stations around the city. The project attracted more than 4,000 members but never expanded beyond 35 cars.

16,000 fans queue online for 1,500 Paradiso places: Fans of Suzan & Freek overwhelmed the Paradiso website on Friday as tickets went on sale for their November album show. Some saw only an error message, while others got through in small batches.

Amsterdam choir that sings at deathbeds turns ten: The Bedside Singers, founded in Oost by Petrie Akkerman, sing for people in the final phase of life. A public concert in the OLVG chapel on 18 October marks the anniversary.

Medicinal cannabis grower Bedrocan declared bankrupt: The Veendam company, the only supplier of medicinal cannabis in the Netherlands, collapsed after losing its government contract. The ministry says stocks for around 7,000 patients should last until mid-2027.

Weesp’s Sluisbrug closed until December, catching residents off guard: The Sluisbrug has been closed to cars, cyclists and pedestrians for repairs, with the closure due to last until December. Local businesses say they had only three days’ notice.

Repair delays leave KLM short of aircraft: KLM plans to cancel some flights from October 26 until early March as maintenance and repair work keeps more aircraft out of service than expected. The airline is also changing aircraft on some services.

Virtual reality journeys open at Amsterdam’s Neoseum: The venue offers three virtual expeditions, from ancient Egypt and the Maya world to a journey through a distant star system. Visitors aged eight and over can take part.

Aegon shareholders approve move from Schiphol to US: The insurer plans to move its headquarters to New York next year and adopt the Transamerica name in 2028. Almost all shareholders represented at the meeting backed the relocation.

Rental law tops the legal questions Amsterdam residents bring to the Juridisch Loket: Almost one in five queries concerns tenancy, compared with 15.4% nationally. The Amsterdam branch also reports rising questions about family, residence and immigration law.

Ten Amsterdam West projects win energy-saving funds: The Buurt Bespaar Fonds will distribute €60,000 among neighbourhood initiatives, selected from 31 applications. Projects include insulating curtains, energy-saving advice and studies into local batteries and balcony solar panels.

Cinekid opens a week of children’s films in Noord: Films, workshops and a MediaLab run through the autumn holiday until 16 October, and the MediaLab needs a same-day film ticket. 10 October, Pathé Noord Amsterdam. FESTIVAL / FAIR

Penguin Day at ARTIS, with crafts and questions for the keepers: Kids craft fish and penguin bracelets beside the African penguin enclosure, hunt with binoculars and put questions to the keepers. 10 October, 10:00, ARTIS-Park. KIDS WORKSHOP

Skate for 65 cents as Jaap Eden ice rink opens its season: The rink turns 65, so the afternoon brings open skating, ice hockey, a treasure hunt and clinics on falling and getting up. 10 October, Jaap Edenbaan. SPORTS

Free roller skating, poffertjes and a DJ at Move Amsterdam: Move Lab turns one with indoor skating in the entrance, three SkateDance workshops for kids from seven and skates to borrow. 10 October, 11:00, Move Amsterdam. KIDS WORKSHOP

Lennox, a hip-hop and gospel youth opera for ages eight and up: Sung in Dutch without surtitles, this hour-long opera mixes hip-hop, soul, gospel and classical music, adapted from Zindzi Zevenbergen’s children’s book. 10 October, Nationale Opera & Ballet, Grote Zaal. FAMILY SHOW

Kinderboekenweek face painting for kids among the bookshop shelves: Children can sit down for face painting in the bookshop, an afternoon activity tied to the annual Dutch children’s book week. 10 October, 15:00, Scheltema, tweede verdieping. KIDS WORKSHOP

Morse code and a fort roof walk for the autumn holiday on Pampus: Out in the IJmeer, this UNESCO-listed fort island adds children’s experiments, interactive routes and a virtual balloon flight for the school break. 10 October, all day, Forteiland Pampus. OUTDOOR / ACTIVE

Pet and groom guinea pigs for free at the De Pijp petting zoo: A staff member shows visitors how to handle the guinea pigs gently, followed by a creative activity that isn’t announced in advance. 10 October, all day, Kinderboerderij De Pijp. KIDS WORKSHOP

Sing and dance with Dikkie Dik and Dirk Scheele, ages 2 to 7: The ginger cat appears as projection and puppet in an hour of songs for toddlers, followed by a photo with Dirk. 10 October, 11:00, Theater De Richel. FAMILY SHOW

Neo-soul from Jill Scott, with J Bambii opening: The Philadelphia singer and poet, a neo-soul name since her 2000 debut, brings her 36-show To Whom This May Concern Tour. 10 October, AFAS Live. SINGER-SONGWRITER

Salt Lake Singers from Utah give a free one-hour choral concert: More than 100 voices sing an hour of ancient and modern choral works, from Ave verum corpus to Amazing Grace. 10 October, all day, Westerkerk Amsterdam. CHOIR / VOCAL

Tim Burton’s Universe, Danny Elfman’s film scores in a Bovenkerk church: Mystery Ensemble plays music from Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas in a church in Bovenkerk, Amstelveen, from 20:00 to 21:15. 10 October, all day, Sint-Urbanuskerk. CLASSICAL

Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with Greece’s oldest symphony orchestra: Alexandra Conunova solos in the Violin Concerto, Hannah Kim takes Saint-Saëns’ First Cello Concerto, with Shostakovich’s Ninth Symphony also on the programme. 10 October, 20:15, The Concertgebouw. CLASSICAL

Back to Bach, a big-band night at the Pianoduo Festival: Two pianists, one also on Hammond organ, join The New Jazz Orchestra for Bach in jazz arrangements, plus their own pieces and improvisation. 10 October, 20:30, De Duif. JAZZ / BLUES

Bill Callahan, the songwriter once known as Smog, in the MAX hall: It’s sold out, so this is for ticket holders: Nathan Bowles opens, then Callahan’s spare, wry songs in that deep baritone. 10 October, 20:30, Melkweg. SINGER-SONGWRITER

Moody abstract hip hop and the 2024 album Saisei from DJ Krush: The Japanese turntablist, an early Mo’ Wax artist and trip-hop pioneer, plays material from his latest record in the OZ hall. 10 October, 19:30 doors, 20:30 DJ Krush, Melkweg. HIP-HOP / R&B

Folk, pop and soul from Jack Savoretti’s latest album: Doors open at 18:30 in the Grote Zaal, where member tickets cost €39.30 plus a €4.50 monthly membership. 10 October, 20:00, Paradiso. SINGER-SONGWRITER

Sing along in a Brazilian samba circle with the Saravá Samba Project: Eight musicians play in the middle of the room while everyone around them sings along, the first such circle from this group. 10 October, 20:00 – 23:00, ZOJazz Stage • Concertzaal. WORLD / FOLK

More than fifty free activities and open doors during 24 uur Zuid: Yoga in De Thomaskerk, stargazing at a four-star hotel, a free canal boat, and backstage visits to the fire brigade. 10 October, Amsterdam-Zuid. FESTIVALS

IJ-Hallen flea market moves indoors with 600 stalls in Noord: Stallholders sell second-hand clothes, furniture and odds and ends, and early-bird entry from 06:00 gets you first pick. 10 October, 09:00 – 16:30, IJ-Hallen. FOOD / MARKETS

Watch the 39th Grachtenrace longboats row 25 kilometres through the canals: More than 135 crews set off one by one from the Olympic Stadium, slowest first, on a route through the old centre. 10 October, Stadionplein. SPORTS (SPECTATOR)

Climb into a fire engine for free at the historic Dirk station: Built 156 years ago in the Rijksmuseum’s style and still in use, the station adds an exhibition and talks with firefighters. 10 October, 13:00 – 16:00, Brandweerkazerne Dirk. MUSEUM / EDUCATIONAL

Amsterdam International Antiquarian Bookfair, rare maps and manuscripts: Dealers bring old books, manuscripts, maps and prints into the seventeenth-century church, with lectures, workshops and guided tours alongside. 10 October, 11:00, Zuiderkerk. FESTIVAL / FAIR

Try 3×3 basketball for free on Museumplein, any age or level: Clinics and demonstrations from 3×3 Unites, a social organisation teaching young people leadership through the game, possibly ending in a small tournament. 10 October, all day, 3X3 Unites. SPORTS (ACTIVE)

Masters of Comedy, a Dutch-language stand-up line-up by the IJ: Several comedians, established names from the Dutch scene alongside newer talent, run through jokes, current affairs and stories for two hours. 10 October, 21:00, Comedy Cafe. THEATER

Watch wooden sloops chase each other in the free Amsterdam Canal Race: More than 140 teams, many in old wooden sloops, row 25km through the city with the slowest starting first, so the Leliegracht hairpin gets crowded. 10 October, 11:00 – 13:00, Amsterdam canals (start by the old Olympic Stadium). SPORTS (SPECTATOR)

Free sculpture garden in an old De Pijp schoolyard: Rein Kooyman has reworked the square Dutch paving tile into round, flowing forms among native plants, as part of 24 Hours Zuid. 10 October, all day, INDEBT. ART / MUSEUMS

No Waste Army pickup day for rescued apples and pears: Hail-scarred fruit from a Tienhoven grower, 5 kg for €6.75 or 10 kg for €12.50, or pay to send some to the food bank. 10 October, 10:00-16:00, Landmarkt, Schellingwouderdijk 339. FOOD / MARKETS

Try Argentine tango free in a Zuid church: Marijke de Vries, who has organised tango events for thirty years, teaches a first lesson for adults with or without dance experience. 10 October, all day, Willem de Zwijgerkerk. CLASS

Chicken paitan ramen from scratch, taught by a Japanese host: Six guests at most make shoyu soup, chashu and marinated eggs in a home kitchen, no experience needed, address sent after booking. 10 October, 10:30, DE REPUBLIEK. WORKSHOP

Offline Hangout, Gen Z edition, free for World Mental Health Day: Phones go into a phone hotel, then quiet solo time, two mini-workshops and guided conversation in a calm Laurierstraat café. 10 October, 17:00, DNYS Café. SOCIAL / DRINKS

Free rooftop stargazing through telescopes for 24 Hours Zuid: Public Observatory volunteers put telescopes on the roof terrace for Saturn’s rings and the Pleiades, moving indoors to the restaurant if cloudy. 10 October, all day, nhow Amsterdam RAI. OUTDOOR / ACTIVE

Free rowing try-out on the Amstel for 24 Hours Zuid: Rowing machines first, then a short row in a group of three or four with an instructor, for over-18s. 10 October, 14:00 – 17:00, Roei- en Zeilvereniging de Amstel. SPORTS

Free walk to a Mozart-to-Chopin living room concert in the Skyscraper: Guide Huib Ramaer tells of Zuid’s musicians on the way to pianist Elizaveta Bokhina’s home, though both slots are fully booked. 10 October, all day, Café Blek. TOUR

Taste the ZuiderMRKT, a free tour of Zuid’s volunteer-run market: The market master walks you past the traders at this 15-year-old neighbourhood market and finishes with coffee and a treat, adults only. 10 October, all day, ZuiderMRKT. TOUR

The Hoxton, Amsterdam: A reimagined bar leads the changes at The Hoxton, which has unveiled a fresh new look after ten years on the Herengracht.

Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Maurits at the Park: A restored monument on the edge of the Oosterpark is now Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Maurits at the Park, a grand boutique hotel aiming for a new kind of luxury.

Restaurant Hendrik: Pancakes, satay and Dutch classics share the menu at Restaurant Hendrik, a family-friendly spot where children are as welcome as the grown-ups.

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