During the Delfshaven Festival, the Piet Heynsplein in the heart of Delfshaven is transformed into an oasis in Rotterdam. Local heroes are given a stage all summer long during the festival.
Delfshaven Festival 2021 takes place from July 16 to August 8. With well-known partners such as jazz café Dizzy, Rotterdams Volkstheater and Ketels aan de Kade, podium Grounds presents an adventurous programme full of performances by local heroes. Brace yourself for four weeks of live music, tours, stories and fun for the whole family. Of course while enjoying a snack and drink from the varied multicultural kitchens of the district.
Werelds Delfshaven Weekend (16 to 18 July)
Did you know that 178 nationalities live in Delfshaven? All those different cultures and special stories from the district come together during the first weekend of the festival. In cooperation with Rotterdams Volkstheater, there is a weekend of circus, music, dance, street theatre and poetry, presented by professionals, up-and-coming talents and enthusiastic amateurs. So you can make a cultural world trip in your own city!
Opening of Delfshaven Festival
The festival will start on Friday 16 July with music, drinks and worldly dishes from the kitchens of the neighbourhood. Test your knowledge of Delfshaven during the Grote Delfshaven Quiz, after which you can end the sultry summer evening with the Duygu Alkan Quartet featuring Ernst Reijseger, Bao Sissoko and Urvin Doornkamp. Singer Duygu comes from Izmir (Turkey) and sings traditional, classic lullabies from Anatolia in Greek, Sephardic, Kurdish and Armenian.
The opening is also the kick-off of 'Te Land, ter zee en in Delfshaven'. Every Saturday and Sunday of the festival, between 12.00 and 14.00, you can take part in the pedal boat challenge on the Aelbrechtskolk. Race your opponent, answer all the questions and ring the bell as quickly as you can. You could win the title Winner of the Day or Final Boss of the Delfshaven Festival!
Listen, sing & swing
The Delfshaven Festival is all about the fusion of the rich cultural offerings from the district and the Rotterdam art scene. On Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 July Rotterdams Volkstheater and podium Grounds take you on a voyage of discovery with cultural, artistic and culinary highlights from all over the world. Sing along at the top of your lungs with the Delfshaven Smartlappenkoor, or dream away to the Cape Verdean sounds of Lena Evora. Meet district talent Jahniva and test your Bollywood dance skills with the Tanushri Dance Sensation. The day ends with Cuban music by Ysa Bermejo and afrobeat by the Liquid Sun Orchestra. On Sunday 18 July, 'Adios!' brings the special story of colourful Delfshaven to life with music, dance, spoken word and stories. Music groups from various cultures in the district sing the praises of identity and migration.
Dizzy on location (23 to 25 July)
This weekend Jazzcafé Dizzy, Het Rotterdams Volkstheater and podium Grounds present an adventurous music programme full of local heroes. Like DJ Handy Tim, the avant-garde jazz/rock band AMAGUK, the funky gentlemen of Joey Blu & BlueZbone, singer-songwriter Danielle Gomes and the EPM Holanda quartet with their Brazilian sounds. On Sunday, there is the story festival 'Delfshaven Vertelt!' especially for children from 4 to 10 years old. There will also be workshops, guided tours, puppet theatre and much more all day long.
Echoes of a Pilgrim (30 July, 31 July, 1 August)
Echoes of a Pilgrim focuses on the other side of migration. Using universal languages such as music and dance, we reflect on sounds of sadness, homesickness, pride and sometimes even anger. Because homesickness and love for one's own culture are also universal, whether you live in New York, Sydney or Delfshaven. On Friday 30 July DJ Gea Russell and Babar Luck will talk to the audience about migration in Delfshaven (in collaboration with Stichting Gedeeld Verleden Gezamenlijke Toekomst). Grupo Pilon, together with Cape Verdian musicians from the Netherlands, will close the evening.
On Saturday 31 July, poetry gets a stage, with poet and artist Juan Heinsohn Huala reading together with befriended Rotterdam poets in the context of Echoes of a Pilgrim. In the evening, DJ Gea Russell spins tasty records and Rootz Lions present 'dub meets horns' with a special guest.
On Sunday you can enjoy Cape Verdean songs by Flores das Ilhas, Arabic music by Khorshid Dadbeh and bluegrass by the Switchbacks.
Ketels aan de Kade weekend (6-8 August)
During the last weekend, we go back to the Delfshaven of old. On the Piet Heynsplein, you will find yourself in a medieval village festival in the middle of the modern city. Prepare yourself for special market stalls with noisy merchants, obscure troubadours and storytellers, an open-air inn, (beer) tastings and demonstrations of age-old crafts.
More information
Admission to all events is free. But please note: the maximum capacity is 100 persons per programme item. This number is based on the current corona rules and may change. Keep an eye on the website for the complete programme, locations and starting times.
