HAPPENING 21–30 MAY 2026 | Schiedam turns into one big playground for gin, jenever and music lovers when the International Dutch Distillers Festival (IDDF) takes over the historic city centre, just a few minutes from Rotterdam by metro or train.
What is the International Dutch Distillers Festival?
The International Dutch Distillers Festival is a city festival in and around the historic centre of Schiedam, built around distilled spirits such as gin and jenever. The event celebrates Schiedam’s long distilling tradition and its modern role as the Dutch Distillers District, bringing together tastings, food events, culture and live music.
Within the festival there is space for local Schiedam distilleries as well as other Dutch and international distillers. The idea is simple: you wander through the old streets and harbours, taste different spirits, learn more about the craft and enjoy an easygoing festival atmosphere.
In recent editions, the festival has run for about a week at the end of May, under the umbrella of the wider Dutch Distiller Months, a period in which Schiedam highlights its distilling heritage with several events.
Dutch Distillers District: Schiedam’s gin and jenever heart
The IDDF takes place in the Dutch Distillers District, the part of Schiedam where the historic jenever industry is still visible in the form of old warehouses, canals and some of the tallest traditional windmills in the world.
For visitors from Rotterdam it is very close. From Rotterdam Centraal you reach Schiedam Centrum station by train in about four minutes, or you hop on metro lines A, B or C. From Schiedam Centrum or Parkweg it is a short walk into the historic centre. Tram lines 21 and 24 also connect Rotterdam with Schiedam’s inner city.
Once in town you will see and taste distilling heritage everywhere, from tasting rooms and cocktail bars to museum-style experiences dedicated to jenever and gin. IDDF uses this setting as its festival decor.
Festival highlights: tastings, restaurantweek and Around Town
The International Dutch Distillers Festival is built around several programme pillars that spread across multiple days. Earlier editions included:
- IDDF Restaurantweek
During Restaurantweek, participating bars and restaurants in Schiedam serve special IDDF menus, cocktails and pairings. Think high gin arrangements, jenever-inspired desserts, ice cream with liquor flavours and creative tasting menus that match local spirits. - IDDF Around Town
Around Town connects culture and distilling. Theatre, music, talks and small performances pop up in unexpected places throughout the historic centre, often with a tasting element built in. One night you might sit between old copper kettles, another night in an intimate courtyard or gallery. - Tastings and workshops
Across the festival you can sample a wide range of gins, jenevers and other spirits, sometimes more than a hundred varieties in total, poured by distillers themselves. Expect guided tastings, introductions to tonic pairing, workshops on how to build a home cocktail and talks about the history of Schiedam’s spirit industry.
The exact programme and participating venues change each year, so it is worth checking the official IDDF channels for the latest line-up and specials before you go.
IDDF in Concert 2026: big Dutch acts in the distillers district
A major crowd puller within the festival is IDDF in Concert, the closing music event of the International Dutch Distillers Festival. This two-day open-air festival takes place at the Nolet Loodsen site on the Buitenhavenweg, right in the heart of the Distillers District.
For 2026, IDDF in Concert is scheduled for Friday 29 May and Saturday 30 May 2026. Recent announcements revealed the first headliners:
- On Friday 29 May, Dutch rock band Di-rect is set to shake the festival grounds, joined by party band Daredevils.
- On Saturday 30 May, stadium favourites Kensington will close the weekend, with festival regulars The Dirty Daddies bringing their high-energy covers to the stage.
Between the shows you can grab bites from stands run by local restaurants and sample cocktails and mixed drinks built around Schiedam spirits. IDDF in Concert is an 18+ event and forms the festive closing chapter of the wider festival season in the city.
