Essentially Amsterdam – Thursday, November 5, 2026

Thursday November 5, 2026

Good morning, Amsterdam. Today: Amsterdam-born HEMA turns 100 after years of turbulence, the metro tests a new network without line 53, and a Herengracht hotel from 1656 goes to auction.

Sinterklaas parade through Amsterdam to end with free Leidseplein show on 15 November: Sinterklaas’s steamboat will leave the Omval at 10.15 on Sunday 15 November and sail up the Amstel to Het Scheepvaartmuseum. At 13.00 he will ride his horse Ozosnel from Waterlooplein towards Leidseplein, where the programme will run until 15.30. Streets along the route will close, and trams and buses will take different routes.

Amsterdam-born HEMA turns 100 after years of turbulence: The chain opened its first store in Amsterdam on 4 November 1926, selling household goods for 25 or 50 cents, and runs over 500 Dutch shops and around 200 abroad. After loss-making years under debt-laden investors, it reports higher sales and profit under the Van Eerd family, owners of Jumbo.

Herengracht hotel from 1656 goes under the hammer: Hotel Hegra, a ten-room national monument in the Nine Streets, will be auctioned on 24 November after a creditor forced a sale against owner First Rock HGR. The buyer inherits the operator’s lease, worth €180,000 a year in rent, which runs until 2034.

Free six-square-metre museum in Oost faces uncertain future: Museum Perron Oost, housed since 2013 in a former supervisor’s hut on an old cattle platform on Cruquiusweg, has a new show by local artist Wim Janssen pairing six paintings with a 1952 bike ride by writer Nescio. Rent is covered for 2027, but funding after that remains unclear.

A third of Erasmusgracht boats may be illegally occupied: Mayor Femke Halsema gave the figure, 62 of 203 pleasure boats, in reply to council questions, with 13 more on the Burgemeester Tienhovengracht in Nieuw-West. The city cannot tow boats merely for illegal occupation or rental and wants a lasting fix addressing the underlying housing and social problems.

Amsterdam comedy club Comedy Queens books only women: Fransje Westermann started the comedy nights because she felt existing clubs can be tough for women who are the only female act on a line-up. Shows run roughly every six weeks, mixing newcomers with experienced comedians, and a summer show is planned for next year.

Animal tunnels and new entrance bring Diemerpark detours: Three tunnels under the Diemerzeedijk will help grass snakes and hedgehogs cross, with the Rieteiland-Oost passage fully closed from 9 to 11 November. The Diemerparklaan bridge shuts from 12 to 27 November. Residents can join a volunteer nature day on 14 November; sign up before 9 November.

Second cochlear implant now covered for deaf adults: Adults who are deaf or severely hard of hearing in both ears now qualify for reimbursement of a second cochlear implant, effective 27 October. Until now only children and a few adult groups qualified. Eligibility is assessed case by case, with 60 to 100 patients expected each year.

VodafoneZiggo wants staff in office three days weekly: Employees who cannot or will not comply would be offered a voluntary buyout from January, a move the union De Unie welcomes. The plan is now before the works council, and if it votes against, the company could go to court, as Booking.com did successfully last week.

Koen Kleijn writes history of secretive club on the Dam: His book Op stand aan de Dam follows four societies, the oldest founded in 1783, that merged into the Koninklijke Industrieele Groote Club in the Industria building. Because club talk stays secret, he relied on minutes and member lists, uncovering a 1941 deal barring Jewish people.

Revised tax plan scraps defence levy on labour: The cabinet’s amended tax plan, now with parliament, also pushes the new box 3 wealth tax back a year to 2029 and delays higher VAT on flowers until later in 2028. Prime Minister Jetten says it adds 1.5 billion euros in purchasing power compared with Prinsjesdag.

Why Amsterdam neighbours get different internet providers: Which providers can connect a home depends on the exact address, not the neighbourhood: old canal houses and split buildings are hard to wire, and neighbours who refuse access can block fibre. Checking by postcode and house number before signing a lease or purchase contract avoids disappointment.

Amsterdam metro tests new network without line 53: On the busy weekend of 14 and 15 November, GVB will run the metro as closely as possible to the network planned for late 2027, with line 50 running between Gaasperplas and Isolatorweg. Lines 51, 52 and 54 keep their usual routes, but travellers should expect a different timetable.

101 Dalmatians as a family musical, with puppets and songs: Cruella de Vil and the kidnapped puppies, told through songs, puppetry and humour, with Kim-Lian in the Amsterdam cast. 5 November, 5 Nov 19:30; 7 Nov 14:00 and 1, RAI Theater. FAMILY SHOW

Free TUMO open evening for teens into game design and robotics: Parents and 12 to 18 year olds learn how the free after-school programme at Kraaiennest works and how to sign up. 5 November, 17:30, OBA Next Lab Kraaiennest – Makerspace. TOUR

Toddler storytime in Dutch, with picture books and songs: Charlene, from a youth theatre background, reads aloud and sings with toddlers for half an hour in Dutch, every first Thursday. 5 November, 10:30, De Kinderboekwinkel. STORY / READING

Free music session for toddlers and parents, with an autumn picture book: Music teacher Judith Sijp reads from a new picture book, and children aged one to five sing, dance and make music. 5 November, 10:30 – 11:15, Kinderboekwinkel Casperle. KIDS WORKSHOP

Make your own animation film over eight Thursday afternoons: Children aged 8 to 12 try stop-motion and 3D animation, write a storyline and add sound effects, signing up for all eight sessions. 5 November, 15:15, OBA Javaplein – Maakplaats. KIDS WORKSHOP

Drawing, painting and sculpture taster lessons for children on IJburg, free: Julia Mandle’s weekly art classes mix hands-on making with art history and world cultures, and this season includes Kusama-inspired lanterns and shadow puppets. 5 November, 15:15 – 16:15, Factor IJ. KIDS WORKSHOP

The Kid LAROI brings his A Perfect World tour to AFAS Live: Support comes from WizTheMc and Nate Sib, two years after he played the same hall on his First Time tour. 5 November, 21:15, AFAS Live. HIP-HOP / R&B

Houston rapper Don Toliver on the Octane world tour: The Cactus Jack signee behind No Idea plays an arena show off his fifth album OCTANE, with Victony in support. 5 November, 20:00, Ziggo Dome. DANCE / PERFORMANCE

Dvořák’s Seventh and Bluebeard’s Castle, with Klaus Mäkelä conducting: The Concertgebouworkest pairs the symphony with Bartók’s opera, sung by Jennifer Johnston and Gerald Finley, and the ticket price includes drinks. 5 November, 20:15, The Concertgebouw. DANCE / PERFORMANCE

Frevo, forró and rock from Alceu Valença on his 80th birthday tour: The Pernambuco singer-songwriter behind Morena Tropicana and Anunciação plays the MAX hall in the ROOTS series, and Melkweg membership is required. 5 November, 20:00, Melkweg. DANCE / PERFORMANCE

Techno meets indie rock as Digitalism play their new album Optimism: The duo behind Pogo and Idealistic, who have worked with Daft Punk and Depeche Mode, play with Charlie Avalon in support. 5 November, 19:30, Melkweg. DANCE / PERFORMANCE

Fleetmac Wood, Fleetwood Mac reworked for the dancefloor: DJs Roxanne Roll and Alex Oxley, running this party since 2012, turn the classic-rock catalogue into electronic sets in the Basement. 5 November, 23:00, Paradiso. DANCE / PERFORMANCE

Bach & Breakfast with Giovanni Sollima: A breakfast concert built around Bach, with Giovanni Sollima performing, for anyone who’d rather hear music at the start of the day. 5 November, 09:30, Bimhuis. CLASSICAL

Amsterdam Climate Week 2027 opens with a free public kickoff: Founders, activists, policymakers and companies gather to hear what’s planned for the week and to find where they might fit in. 5 November, 17:00, CRCL Park (Marineterrein, Building 27A). NETWORKING

Sip Happens, a monthly drinks table for founders and freelancers: Share-A-Table seats founders, freelancers and makers at one shared table, and the ticket covers the seat while drinks are bought at the bar. 5 November, 18:30 – 21:00, Shiraz Jardin des Vins. NETWORKING

Midterm Madness, a US election results night across two rooms: Short talks on polarisation and voter behaviour, live music and journalist Mark Leibovich unpacking the results, with some sessions in Dutch. 6 November, 20:00 – 00:00, Pakhuis de Zwijger. TALKS / IDEAS

Rhys Darby’s new stand-up, Very Much in the Area of 51: The Flight of the Conchords actor turns his physical storytelling on middle age, with a side argument that AI is dumb. 5 November, 20:30, Boom Chicago. COMEDY

Willem de Kooning at Work, drawings and paintings over 65 years: More than 120 works trace his style across some 65 years, and Woman I hangs near the Night Watch. 5 November, 9:00 – 17:00, Teekenschool. ART / MUSEUMS

Ten days of horror, fantasy and sci-fi at Imagine Film Festival: Ghost in the Feed is this year’s theme, alongside a Latin American magical realism focus and an audience prize voted on ballots. 5 November, FilmHallen, LAB111 en Hal West. FILM

A husband woven from wicker, in an English-language fable with Olivia Colman: A lonely fisherwoman orders an ideal husband from the local basket weaver, Peter Dinklage, and Alexander Skarsgård plays the result, with Dutch subtitles. 4 November, 17:45, Het Ketelhuis. FILM

Laugh Out Proud, Amsterdam’s monthly queer variety night: Stand-up, musical numbers, improv, storytelling and drag acts share the bill, hosted by Katie Nixon on the first Thursday of each month. 5 November, 22:15, Boom Chicago. COMEDY

Practise Dutch, English or Spanish over drinks in Westerpark, free: Language learners meet over drinks to swap conversation, and it’s free, though the organisers ask you to join their WhatsApp group first. 5 November, 19:30 – 22:30, Pacific Park. SOCIAL / DRINKS

Phones away for The Offline Club’s XL Boardgame Night in a church: Demonstrators from 999 Games explain games from Werewolves to Carcassonne as small groups rotate, with coffee, tea and snacks included. 5 November, 18:00, Oosterkerk. GAMES / HOBBIES

Free Thursday karaoke on the Zeedijk, open until 3am: In business on the Zeedijk since 1946, this karaoke bar keeps the microphone going until three in the morning, with free entry. 5 November, 20:00, Casablanca. SOCIAL / DRINKS

Decorate your own dessert over natural wine at Rebel Wines: Each guest gets a dessert, edible paints, pearls and fruit, plus two glasses of natural wine and a DJ set, no experience needed. 5 November, 18:00, Rebel Wines. WORKSHOP

Clothes customising with a meetup group from Amsterdam South: An evening of reworking your own clothes, run by a meetup group set up for meeting new people in Amsterdam South. 5 November, 19:00, Atelier 77. WORKSHOP

Spin & Sculpt, a pottery wheel date for two: Couples share a private session at the wheel, making pieces together that are ready to collect two weeks later. 24 October, 13:00, Atelier Kleie. WORKSHOP

•  Rondo (Planciusstraat, Zeeheldenbuurt): Chefs Bloeme Burema and Gina Verheij run this restaurant with a pink bar and terrace.

•  Lên Đên (Moermanskkade, Houthavens): Chef’s menu and à la carte dining alongside market brunch and banh mi sandwiches.

•  KID (Frederik Hendrikplantsoen): Burgers, coffee, pastries, and lunch in a permanent location with drinks available.

 

Daily markets open today: Ten Kate (Oud-West), Waterlooplein Market (Waterlooplein) and Zuidas Markt (George Gershwinplein). See all markets open today

Business Controller Logistics: Tony’s Chocolonely, Amsterdam, EUR 68,000 – 85,000 a year – You will manage financial planning and control for logistics, warehousing and inventory, partnering with Operations and S&OP in Supply Chain Finance.

Marketing Project Manager: Vandebron, Amsterdam, EUR 5,000 – 5,800 a month – Manage integrated campaigns and the in-house studio for the Brand Marketing & Customer Experience team, coordinating schedules, budgets, briefs and freelancers.

Legal Counsel: Bynder, Amsterdam, EUR 47,000 – 52,000 a year – Negotiate SaaS contracts and advise business teams while supporting compliance and improving processes for Bynder’s EMEA legal team.

People Operations & Automation Specialist: TicketSwap, Amsterdam, EUR 42,000 – 64,600 a year – Run employee lifecycle operations and improve workflows through automation for the People team.

More international jobs in Amsterdam: see the full list or get them in your inbox every day.

Looking ahead: Museum Night Amsterdam (from Fri 6 November), Buiten Westen (from Fri 6 November) and Food Phreaks: Biodiversity of the Kitchen (from Sat 7 November). See the week ahead →

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