Rotterdam beach season kick‑off: complete festival guide

HAPPENING 29 May 2025 — Fancy swapping city streets for salt air and festival fireworks? Ascension Day turns Hoek van Holland into the Netherlands’ liveliest stretch of sand. Stick with us and plan the perfect beach day, from sunrise coffee to the last encore.

Why Ascension Day is the perfect excuse for a seaside party

Ascension Day (Thursday, 29 May 2025) is Rotterdam’s unofficial signal that summer has arrived, and nowhere celebrates the season quite like Hoek van Holland. For one glorious day, the normally laid‑back resort transforms into a sandy playground for festival‑goers, sun‑seekers and anyone who fancies trading the city streets for a soundtrack of breakers and basslines. Last year’s edition drew more than 25 000 visitors, and the 2025 programme looks determined to top that.

Royal Festival: five stages, one 'wondersand'

Beachclub Royal’s flagship party is now in its 27th year and has gone full‑scale fantasy with the theme A Trip to Wondersand. Expect five purpose‑built stages, over 30 performers and a genre buffet that runs from house to hard‑style. Look out for crowd‑favourites Bizzey, Benny Rodrigues, Outsiders, Bilal Wahib, Bass Chaserz and Benny Rodrigues, plus a clutch of live sets for those who prefer microphones to CDJs. Gates open at noon and the final track fades at 21:00. Tickets start at €37 (regular) with VIP decks at €67.50 if you fancy your own loos and shorter bar queues.

Quick facts

• Time: 12:00 – 21:00

• Stages: 5

• Genres: house, hard‑style, urban, après‑ski and more

• Extras: fairground rides, silent disco and eco water‑refill points

Villa on the Beach: sunshine beats and guilty‑pleasure classics

A few hundred metres further along the strand, Villa on the Beach goes for an open‑air club vibe—think giant day‑beds, confetti cannons and a line‑up made for singalongs. La Fuente brings his Latin‑flavoured house, Paul Elstak and Gregor Salto crank up the nostalgia, and De Après Skihut’s resident crew will probably have you shouting along to Dutch party anthems before sunset. Early‑bird tickets flew out at €23.50, with the current tier sitting just under €30.

Quick facts

• Time: 13:00 – 22:00 (doors 12:00)

• Vibe: feel‑good house and guilty‑pleasure throwbacks

• Ticket tiers: early‑friend €21.50 | early‑bird €23.50 | regular €28.50

Getting to Hoek van Holland without the stress 🚇

• Metro B now terminates at Hoek van Holland Strand station—right behind the dunes. Trains run every 15 minutes between 10:00 and 19:00, with extra services on hot days.

• On‑street parking is limited and fills before lunch. If you must drive, aim for the Park & Ride at Hoek van Holland Haven and complete the trip by metro or on foot.

• Bring a light jacket. North Sea evenings can feel surprisingly crisp once the sun dips.

For more information on Rotterdam's beaches, check out our Beaches of Rotterdam article.