HAPPENING 5 April 2025 |GLORY Kickboxing has announced the 'Last Heavyweight Standing' tournament, commencing on 5 April at Rotterdam Ahoy. This year-long series will feature 32 heavyweight fighters competing across five events.
Photo credit: Maurice van der Meij
Tournament structure
The tournament will begin with 'GLORY 99: Last Heavyweight Standing' at Rotterdam Ahoy, featuring 16 bouts among 32 international heavyweights. Throughout 2025, participants will engage in qualifying matches, culminating in a final event where the last eight fighters will compete to determine the ultimate victor.
Initial participants announced
At a recent press conference in Amsterdam, the first nine fighters were introduced:
Jamal Ben Saddik (36-9, 29 KO): A former GLORY title contender returning after a three-year hiatus, with notable victories over Rico Verhoeven and Remy Bonjasky.
Bahram Rajabzadeh (70-4, 61 KO): A dynamic fighter who participated in both the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Grand Prix events in 2024.
Uku Jurjendal (20-9, 16 KO): An Estonian knockout artist with a perfect finish rate in GLORY and a recent win against Badr Hari.
Rade Opacic (21-6, 16 KO): A Serbian heavyweight making his GLORY debut.
Ahmed Krnjic (13-4, 4 KO): Currently on a nine-fight winning streak, known as 'Bosnian Steel'.
Sofian Laidouni (37-4-1, 18 KO): France's top heavyweight.
Murat 'The Butcher' Aygun (32-4, 8 KO): A Turkish fighter aiming to establish his presence.
Tariq Osaro (26-4-1, 13 KO): A former interim-GLORY heavyweight champion.
Ionut Iancu (30-10, 12 KO): Dubbed 'The Romanian Tank', he made a significant impact in his debut year with GLORY.
Ticket information
'GLORY 99: Last Heavyweight Standing' is scheduled for 5 April at Rotterdam Ahoy. Pre-sale tickets will be available from Monday, 3 February, with general sales starting on Tuesday, 4 February, at 12 pm CET.
Venue details
Rotterdam Ahoy is located in the south of Rotterdam, easily accessible via public transport and major roadways. The venue is known for hosting significant sporting and entertainment events.
HAPPENING 1–2 February 2025 | The Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam will mark Chinese New Year with a weekend of cultural events. Visitors can immerse themselves in workshops, exhibitions, and festive activities inspired by the Lunar New Year traditions.
Lead photo: Capture your Chinese New Year memories with photographer Tyler Chan, who will create a festive group portrait of you, your friends, and family. Photo credit: Tyler Chan. Chinese Self Portraits.
Wereldmuseum celebrates Chinese New Year
The Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam will celebrate the Year of the Snake on 1 and 2 February 2025 with a variety of events and activities to honour the Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival. This celebration offers a chance for attendees to explore Chinese cultural traditions through exhibitions, workshops, and family-friendly festivities.
Programme highlights for the Lunar New Year
On 1 and 2 February, the Wereldmuseum will host a vibrant line-up of events tied to Chinese New Year traditions. The weekend includes interactive workshops, artistic activities, and cultural showcases designed to engage visitors of all ages.
One of the main attractions is a hands-on workshop where participants can create a Chinese snake with artist Hoi-Shan Mak. The snake, symbolising wisdom, transformation, and renewal, is an emblem of the Year of the Snake, which begins on 29 January 2025. This activity encourages reflection on personal growth and change.
Art enthusiasts can also learn about traditional Chinese woodblock printing techniques in a session inspired by renowned 20th-century Chinese artist Qi Baishi. Participants will create their own replica print, connecting with centuries-old artistic practices.
Qi Baishi-inspired workshop: traditional Chinese woodblock printing technique
Children and families can head to the museum's Superstraat for creative workshops with artists Lili Zhou and Sofie Xie. Activities include crafting red paper decorations, which symbolise luck in Chinese culture, practising calligraphy by writing characters for “luck” and “snake,” and making a lucky goldfish (Hóngbāo). These workshops aim to introduce young visitors to Chinese customs in a fun and engaging way.
A festive photobooth by photographer Tyler Chan will allow visitors to take home a cherished memory of the celebration. Against a vibrant backdrop, friends and families can have their portraits taken as part of the festivities.
Throughout the weekend, visitors can also explore the Made in China exhibition, which delves into China's centuries-old and contemporary craftsmanship. The exhibition includes art, fashion, photography, and more, showcasing the enduring and evolving culture of making in China.
Other festive events across Rotterdam
In addition to the museum's activities, the Wereldmuseum will participate in public Lunar New Year celebrations. On 8 February, a tram-based event will take place on Westkruiskade, a hub of Asian culture in Rotterdam, followed by children’s activities on 9 February at Deliplein in Katendrecht.
Practical information
Dates:
Main celebration: 1 and 2 February 2025
Westkruiskade tram event: 8 February 2025
Deliplein children’s activities: 9 February 2025
Tickets: Participation in workshops is free with museum entry. Holders of Museumkaart, Rotterdampas, or Vriendenloterij cards enter free of charge. Advance registration for activities is not required.
Directions to the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam
The Wereldmuseum is located at Willemskade 25, near the Erasmus Bridge. It is easily accessible by tram, metro, and water taxi. Parking is available nearby, but public transport is recommended due to limited space.
HAPPENING 26 April 2025 | The vibrant spirit of King's Day (Koningsdag) comes to life in Rotterdam. The historic celebration of the Dutch monarch's birthday is marked by a range of exciting events, including a royal walking route, performances, and activities throughout the city.
When is King's Day celebrated?
Since 2014, King's Day has been celebrated on the birthday of King Willem-Alexander, April 27, unless this date falls on a Sunday. In that case, King's Day is moved forward to Saturday, April 26. This is why in 2025, King's Day is celebrated on the 26th April. The evening before King's Day is called King's Night (Koningsnacht) and is generally an opportunity for a good night of clubbing and bar-hopping.
A short history of King's Day
King's Day (Koningsdag) in the Netherlands is a national holiday celebrating the Dutch monarchy and the birthday of the reigning monarch. It originated in 1885 as “Princess's Day,” honouring Princess Wilhelmina's birthday. When she became queen in 1890, it was renamed Queen's Day (Koninginnedag) and celebrated on her birthday, 31 August. Over time, it became a festive occasion with street markets, parades, and public festivities. Queen Juliana moved the date to her birthday, 30 April, in 1949, and Queen Beatrix retained the date to honour her mother, despite her own birthday being in January. When King Willem-Alexander ascended the throne in 2013, the holiday was renamed King's Day and moved to his birthday, 27 April. The day is marked by nationwide celebrations, music festivals, and vibrant orange-themed events, reflecting the royal House of Orange.
Where to party on King's Day
On King's Day, you can party everywhere in the city. Every bar and club will be open and offer a nice day or evening filled with activities and live performances. In other words, you don't need to go to a major festival, as the atmosphere is best experienced in the city streets and its brown bars. Moreover, every town square and shopping street will be transformed into flea markets, where anybody can set up a table with goods for sale. Be sure to arrive early if you want to find vintage gems.
However, if you are looking for a proper, large music / EDM festival with a solid line-up, then look no further. We have listed the most popular events for you right here.
King's Day festivals taking place:
Note that the information below is from 2024 and yet to be updated for 2025. However, all the main festivals tend to return every year, so check out their websites for up-to-date information.
If you're an expat or tourist, these festivals could be more fun, as the artist line-ups and musical genres (EDM, Hip Hop etc.) are more mainstream, rather than the traditional Dutch folk music.
Kralingse Bos Festival (KBF)
Kralingse Bos Festival, now known simply as KBF, is ready to turn heads on King's Day. It promises to be a day of non-stop festivities that are quintessentially Rotterdam—less talk, more celebration.
The festival's line-up is usually an eclectic mix of genres aimed at energizing and captivating attendees with performances from urban to house music.
Access to the festival is restricted to those 18 and over, with ID checks at the entrance. KBF is well-connected to public transport, advising against car travel due to safety and parking considerations. It's recommended to use the metro, tram, or e-scooters, with the festival providing clear guidance on the best routes from various starting points, including nearby cities.
Attendees can expect a plethora of food stands and bars catering to various dietary requirements, although personal food and drinks are not permitted on-site. To ensure a smooth experience, the festival is a 'pin only' event, making transactions quicker and more environmentally friendly. For added convenience, lockers will be available to store personal items safely.
For those looking to capture the royal festivities of KBF, you're advised to arrive early, especially if you have an Early Entrance Ticket which requires entry before 15:00 to avoid additional charges. Keep in mind that once you're in, there's no re-entry, so make sure to bring everything you need to enjoy the festival to the fullest.
Oranjebitter Rotterdam takes the celebration of King's Day to the next level with an electrifying event set to take place at Roel Langerakpark. The festival offers an immersive experience with three stages delivering a diverse range of electronic music genres. Partygoers can expect a sonic journey through euphoric rave, pounding techno, and high-energy hypersonic house sounds, all under the banner “The Future Is Orange”.
Oranjebitter Festival will feature a diverse lineup across three stages, offering genres such as euphoric rave, techno, and hypersonic house. The 2025 lineup includes artists like Aldonna, Angelboy, Benny Rodrigues, Changi, Daria Kolosova, Kettama, Prunk, and Young Marco.
The festival's ethos is steeped in inclusivity and enjoyment, making it an essential destination for music enthusiasts on this Dutch national holiday. For more information on tickets, the line-up, and general FAQs, visitors can explore Oranjebitter's official website.
Other (smaller) King's Day festivals usually taking place in Rotterdam:
A triple threat of indie parties at Rotown
If you’re looking for an alternative to the orange-filled festival fields, Rotown has you covered with a three-part celebration that spans King’s Night (25th) and King’s Day (26th). Nestled near Eendrachtsplein, this intimate live music venue and club turns into a haven for indie lovers, electronica die-hards, and anyone who prefers a bit of grit with their glitter.
It all kicks off on Friday 25 April with Not Another Kingsnight Party—a genre-defying club night where indie anthems, electronic gems, post-punk stompers, and even the odd ‘80s singalong get their moment in the spotlight.
On Saturday 26 April, Rotown opens its doors early for Off the Wall, a free daytime event from 17:00 to 22:00, serving up a carefully curated mix of nostalgic indie, high-energy punk, and danceable alternative pop. It’s a King’s Day special for those who want to celebrate without setting foot in a festival crowd.
Still standing? Good. Because the final act comes later that night with Kingsday Bangers—a no-rules club night from 22:00 until 04:00. DJ GIF takes over the decks, spinning wall-to-wall bangers for everyone who refuses to call it a night. It’s loud, loose, and very, very Rotown.
De Oranjetuin
This block party, or mini-festival, kicks off the opening of De Kerktuin, a pop-up terrace next to the Arminius Church. Expect a casual vibe with dancing, beer, and good company. The deejay line-up is unique as it is always exclusively women behind the decks. In 2025, the deejays are Doris Bae, Sadgurl Riri, Noraly Sousa, Estelliciousz and Meers.
Royal Republic
Royal Republic offers a free celebration at Garden of Bird, a King’s Day celebration featuring DJs from BIRD’s regular club nights, including Heat and Stir It Up. From 14:00, visitors can enjoy an open-air mix of hip-hop, R&B, Afro, dancehall and future beats, with cocktails, beach chairs and wood-fired pizzas setting the tone for a relaxed afternoon.
The music spans across genres and generations, offering both dancefloor energy and laid-back vibes. Entry is free, and the festivities continue indoors from 22:00 with Stir It Up – Koningsnacht.
Radio Tornado
In 2025, Yardbird and Radio Tornado are teaming up for a royal XL block party in and around MONO. From 14:00 to 23:00, two outdoor stages will deliver a lively mix of disco, house, Afro and hip-hop.
After 23:00, the party continues indoors with the official afterparty, taking the celebration all the way to 02:00. Two of Rotterdam’s favourites under one roof — it’s double trouble in the best way.
Kroonjuweel
Kroonjuweel Festival at the Merwe-Vierhavens invites you to celebrate King's Day with a mix of techno, uplifting house, and blazing hard-techno rave. In 2025, they're doing it a bit differently, with one stage featuring 7 hard hitting deejays.
Koningsdag op het Stadhuisplein
Stadhuisplein, popular with younger crowds, is usually always decking out in orange for King's Day. However, there's a lot of construction going on this year with various café's being closed, so it's not clear what the plan is.
Koningsdag festival Baroeg (cancelled in 2025)
As Baroeg is currently undergoing renovations, we believe this event is cancelled. The annual (and totally free) King's Day festival at Baroeg usually features various energetic bands ready to rock through the national holiday.
Sweet Kingsday Festival
The Sweet Kingsday Festival in Lombardijen is a family affair, offering a full day of bands, live acts, and DJs in the Spinozapark. Children can enjoy playground amenities, and with plenty of food and drink options, you can settle in for the long haul. The festivities run from 10:00 to 22:30.
Kingsland Festival (cancelled in 2025)
Unfortunately, this year's Kingsland festival will take place exclusively in Amsterdam and Groningen. The Rotterdam edition has been cancelled, citing “current market conditions and inflation”, organiser 4PM Entertainment announced.
Kingsland Festival in Rotterdam is usually a spectacular celebration of Koningsdag, the national holiday in honor of the King's birthday. Held in the expansive greenery of Het Zuiderpark, this festival is renowned as the largest of its kind in the Netherlands, drawing massive crowds and featuring some of the country's most prominent artists.
Festival-goers have various ticket options to choose from, with prices ranging depending on the time of purchase—Early Bird tickets start at around €50, Regular tickets at around €55, and Late Bird options go up to around €60. Group tickets are also available for those attending in parties of five or more. Adding to the convenience, Kingsland Rotterdam operates with e-lockers, which use a digital code eliminating the need for keys or a deposit.
Transportation to the festival is well-organized, with recommendations to park at Ahoy if driving, or to use the train and metro systems with Rotterdam Centraal as the central hub. Keep in mind that on Koningsdag, special transport regulations apply, including an adjusted train schedule and restrictions on alcohol consumption in transit areas.
The festival upholds strict house rules to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all. These include mandatory ID checks (as the event is 18+), a ban on smoking in enclosed spaces, and a zero-tolerance policy for drugs.
For more information, you can check the festival's official website.
HAPPENING 7 – 15 February 2026 | The annual ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament is the biggest tournament of its kind in the Netherlands. Past winners include tennis greats such as Roger Federer, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Stan Wawrinka Tomáš Berdych and Juan Martín del Potro.
In February 2026, the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament will be held in Rotterdam for the 53rd time. The exact dates are 7 – 15 February 2025, and the location is Rotterdam Ahoy. Ticket sales started in May 2025.
Ever since its inception in 1972, the Rotterdam Open has been growing steadily. In 2018, the 45th edition of the World Tennis Tournament drew 122,846 spectators; a record for the Rotterdam-based ATP World Tour 500 series tournament.
Who's playing at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament?
Expect to see these top players in action in the singles tournament:
Carlos Alcaraz
Alex de Minaur
and more
The field is further completed by:
four players from the qualification tournament
one possible special exempt
one possible A+ wildcard
If the last two are not available, the next registered players will enter the tournament.
While the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament is a men's singles and doubles tournament, the event also includes a Wheelchair Tennis ITF-1 level singles and doubles tournament.
Félix Auger Aliassime wins the 2022 ABN AMRO world tennis tournament in Rotterdam
Past results of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament
The Rotterdam Open has been around since 1976 and has had many of tennis' greatest players grace its court. Past winners include tennis legends such as Arthur Ashe (1972, 1975, 1976) and Boris Becker (1992). In 1979 Björn Borg defeated John McEnroe 6-4 6-2 to win the tournament final.
Recent tournament winners include Roger Federer, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Stan Wawrinka Tomáš Berdych and Juan Martín del Potro. Roger Federer is tied with Arhur Ashe for the most singles tournament wins at three a piece.
2025 — Carlos Alcaraz def. Alex de Minaur (6–4, 3–6, 6–2)
2024 — Jannik Sinner def. Alex de Minaur (7-5, 6-4)
HAPPENING 29 Jan–12 Feb 2025 | In Rotterdam, Chinese New Year is typically heralded with all kinds of activities in the city centre. Expect the awakening of the lion, fireworks, culinary tours, Chinese calligraphy, face painting, delicious food stands and traditional dances.
What is Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year (also referred to as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival) marks the start of a new year on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. Unlike the Gregorian New Year, Chinese New Year begins on the day of the new moon that falls between 21 January and 20 February. The celebrations last for 15 days and conclude with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the lunar year, which coincides with the first full moon.
Celebrate Chinese New Year in Rotterdam
In 2025, the official celebrations are scheduled from 29 January to 12 February, with key events planned on specific dates. On Saturday, 8 February, a street celebration will take place around West-Kruiskade, known for its vibrant Asian community and businesses. On this date, the “awakening of the dragon” also takes place, at Wijkpark Oude Westen.
The “awakening of the dragon” (in Chinese culture, known as 点睛仪式, diǎn jīng yí shì, or “eye-dotting ceremony”) is a traditional ritual performed to “bring life” to the dragon used in dragon dances. This ceremony symbolises the dragon awakening and being imbued with power, good fortune, and protection for the community.
The following day, Sunday, 9 February, festivities will move to Katendrecht, an area with historical ties to the Chinese community in Rotterdam.
Chinese New Year in Rotterdam 📷 https://rcny.nl
Cultural significance and activities
Each year, the Rotterdam Chinese New Year (RCNY) highlights a specific zodiac animal from the Chinese zodiac (Chinees sterrenbeeld). In 2025, the focus is on the Snake, associated with qualities such as wisdom, knowledge, and creativity. As part of the celebrations, various artists will transform snake sculptures into unique artworks, which will be displayed throughout the city during the festival period.
Historical context
The Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is a significant traditional holiday celebrated by Chinese communities worldwide. It marks the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar and is associated with various customs and rituals intended to bring good fortune and ward off misfortune. In Rotterdam, these celebrations serve to honour the cultural heritage of the Chinese community and promote cultural exchange within the city's diverse population.
What to do at Rotterdam Chinese New Year?
For visitors to the event, there is plenty to do and Chinese culture to be experienced in Wijkpark Oude Westen. You can have your name translated and written in traditional Chinese calligraphy (and take it home with you). You can also get something tasty at the various food stands. Moreover, there are culinary tours, there's dancing, kids can get their faces painted and to top it all off, the celebration ends with a professional fireworks display. For more information, visit the official Rotterdam Chinese New Year website.
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