North Sea Round Town Rotterdam - locations, dates, artists

HAPPENING 26 June–13 July 2025 | North Sea Round Town is the North Sea Jazz Festival's fringe festival. Expect poetry, dance and jazzy musical performances at Rotterdam's famous jazz hotspots, as well as unexpected pop-up events at often surprising locations.

North Sea Round Town returns with 20th anniversary edition

This summer, Rotterdam will once again serve as a vibrant backdrop for the 20th anniversary edition of North Sea Round Town (NSRT), the city’s annual fringe festival to NN North Sea Jazz. From 26 June to 13 July, the event will feature over 350 live performances at locations ranging from metro stations and parks to boathouses and cafés.

North Sea Round Town 2025 brings jazz to unexpected spaces across Rotterdam

The annual fringe festival North Sea Round Town, taking place in the run-up to the North Sea Jazz Festival, will once again animate Rotterdam from late June to mid-July 2025. The festival, known for its citywide footprint and diverse programming, is set to offer an eclectic mix of performances in both traditional and unconventional venues.

More than a dozen acts have been confirmed, spanning from spoken word in galleries to jazz sessions in local cafés, churches, and neighbourhood parks. The programme was curated following an open call to local artists, venues, and creators, resulting in a selection that places emerging talent and genre-blending performances at its core.

A city-wide celebration of music and community

North Sea Round Town has announced the outlines of its first two weekends, including both community-driven neighbourhood concerts and artistically ambitious performances. The festival opens with the Buurtconcert XL on 26 June at Humanitas Bergweg in Rotterdam-Noord, an accessible, free event highlighting local talents such as Ocobar, Magda Mendes and Bibi Milanese. Special guest Ronald Snijders will be in attendance, and the event includes food and dance performances.

The same evening, the Laurenskerk will host Re:Collections, a reflective night-time performance by six NSRT alumni artists. Among them are Sun-Mi Hong and Kit Downes, presenting a newly composed work capturing the spirit of NSRT over the past two decades.

A tribute to Ebo Taylor at Kunstinstituut Melly and Hiphophuis

Among the highlights is Songbook of Ebo Taylor, scheduled for Sunday 6 July. The event has been shaped by Rotterdam-based trumpeter Peter Somuah, who is also this year’s Artist in Focus.

Somuah will offer a personal homage to the Ghanaian composer and producer Ebo Taylor, whose work influenced his early musical development. The tribute will begin with a talk and listening session at Kunstinstituut Melly, followed by a live performance at Hiphophuis. The lineup includes Lezaam Beets, Bnnyhunna, Aaron Bouwman and Junya, in collaboration with Somuah.

Hiphop, soul and jazz at Boerderij Driebergen

The following weekend, Boerderij Driebergen will offer an outdoor programme blending hiphop, soul, jazz and funk. On Friday 27 June, Dox & Friends celebrates its own five-year milestone with improvisational sets and spoken word performances curated by Unorthadox. The Saturday concert, led by singer-songwriter Tallulah Rose and an all-female band, remains partly under wraps but is expected to highlight the diversity and synergy of Rotterdam’s music scene.

Experimental jazz and storytelling in Delfshaven

On 3 July, Unstable Grounds premieres at the Wester Theater in Delfshaven. Created by trumpeter Peter Somuah, this interdisciplinary performance explores colonial legacies and their impact on modern identity and spirituality. The work is part of Somuah’s residency as NSRT's 2025 Artist in Focus.

The following night, experimental triple bill 56 Miles Away – A Tribute to Miles Davis will be presented in collaboration with WORM and Space is the Place. The performance includes reinterpretations of Davis’ work by Somuah and young Rotterdam-based musicians, alongside sets by avant-garde acts Awichas and Albatre.

Community dance and live music at Park 1943

On Saturday 5 July, families are invited to Park 1943 in Delfshaven for De Grootste Stoelendans op Livemuziek (The Largest Musical Chairs with Live Music). The event, which is free to attend, features more than fifty musicians and over a thousand chairs, with live performances by De Nazaten and community dance groups.

A local resident described the event as “a real celebration of the neighbourhood,” where community leaders, volunteers and musicians come together in a festive atmosphere.

Music on the move and spontaneous street concerts

During the final weekend, from 11 to 13 July, live music will appear throughout the city, including public transport routes and metro stations. Rotterdam Centraal will host the Young Talent Stage, highlighting emerging artists from the region. The collaboration with RET (Rotterdam’s public transport company) brings surprise performances to metro carriages heading towards Ahoy, home of the main NN North Sea Jazz Festival.

The festivities also extend to the Meent shopping street, which will host 20 acts across 20 locations on 10 July. Shops and cafés will transform into jazz venues for the day. Local acts such as Tallulah Rose and Nelson Latif are among the featured performers.

Boogieball returns with late-night jazz afterparties

On the nights of 11 and 12 July, BIRD will once again host Boogieball, the festival’s official afterparty. Attendees can expect jam sessions, DJ sets, and guest appearances from international artists performing at NN North Sea Jazz.

New ideas through open call

Many of NSRT’s events are sourced from the city’s own creative communities. This year’s Open Call drew a large number of submissions from musicians, organisers and collectives. The selected projects will be announced in late May and added to the full festival programme.

Rotterdam Centre: music in the heart of Rotterdam

Rotterdam’s city centre will be home to a wide range of events that blend jazz, storytelling, visual arts, and literature. From historic buildings to cultural institutions, visitors can expect small-scale concerts and multidisciplinary collaborations.

Highlights include:

• Heerenhuys kamerconcert – Maüpas (Sunday 29 June): The duo of Pau Mas and Clara Bosch, under the name Maüpas, will blend Afro-Brazilian rhythms, poetry, and electronics in an intimate concert at Het Park’s Heerenhuys.
• Caminos Cruzados (Friday 4 July): Latin American classics will be performed at SUE by a group blending bolero, bossa nova, and original compositions.
• Duke Ellington: From club to church (Saturday 5 July): A musical lecture by saxophonist Ruud Bergamin at Boekhandel Donner, tracing Ellington’s journey from nightclub performances to spiritual compositions. The event concludes with a live trio set.
• Multi Live Sessions (Thursday 3 July): Pianist Jeroen Dirrix hosts a night of ambient live sets at Multi Café, featuring acts like vixnde, Phantom Wizard, and Delawhere.
• Cosmic Bride at Laurenskerk (Thursday 10 July): A site-specific concert combining mysticism, live harp, electronics, and vibraphone. The performance of Hidden Gem by Cosmic Bride is inspired by a polymetallic nodule vessel recently seen in the Port of Rotterdam.

Rotterdam South: jazz across neighbourhoods

On the southern side of the city, North Sea Round Town will activate local venues, parks, and community spaces.

Events include:

• Guardians of the Culture (Friday 27 June): A series of R&B concerts at Café Dox, in collaboration with Dutch R&B Vibes (DRNBV), highlighting music as a form of intergenerational and cultural expression.
• TarweTortelTuin zomerfestival (Saturday 28 June): A neighbourhood festival in the Tarwewijk, featuring performances by Omar Ka, Anton Goudsmit, and Gideon Tazelaar. The event also includes visual arts, workshops, and a local market.
• Ultimate Improvisation Battle (Saturday 5 July): A hybrid of dance and live jazz performance at Hillevliet, where improvisation takes centre stage. Musicians and dancers will engage in unscripted interactions.
• Jazz @ 21Pinchos (Sunday 6 July): Jazz guitarist Jim van de Klundert presents work from his debut album Ease, accompanied by Rotterdam musicians and British pianist Barry Green.

Rotterdam West: where city, studio and street meet

In Rotterdam-West, the festival will occupy a mix of public squares, industrial venues, and cosy indoor spaces. Venues like Grounds, Cult is Us, De Pelgrim and the Fruitvis will host intimate and experimental performances.

Key events include:

• Jazz in de Fruitvis – familieconcert (6+) (Sunday 29 June): Saxophonist Kika Sprangers and band Fenix will lead Groove Beest, an interactive concert for children and families exploring global jazz styles.
• Straight from Dakar (Friday 4 July to Sunday 13 July): Senegalese artists Sister LB, OMG, and Mina La Voilée will make their Dutch debut with three performances blending hip-hop, kalebas rhythms, and social commentary. The tour highlights female voices in a traditionally male-dominated genre.