HAPPENING 5 OCT 2025 | A chamber concert featuring musicians from the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra will take place at Trompenburg Gardens this October. The ensemble's rare instrumentation sets the performance apart from conventional classical formats.

Musique Botanique concert to feature rare string quintet formation

An intimate chamber music performance is scheduled for Sunday morning, 5 October, at Trompenburg Gardens & Arboretum. Beginning at 11:00, the concert will feature Het Unique Quintet, an ensemble composed of musicians from the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.

The quintet includes violinists Frank de Groot and Mekanie Broers, violist Veronika Lénártová, cellist Mario Rio, and double bassist Robert Franenberg. Their performance will explore classical repertoire written for a less conventional string quintet formation that includes a double bass (contrabas).

A rare configuration in classical music

In classical music, string quintets are most often arranged in one of two ways: either with two violins, two violas, and a cello, or with two violins, one viola, and two cellos. Composers such as Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms composed extensively for these standard configurations.

However, the upcoming concert will feature a formation rarely seen on stage—one that replaces the second viola or cello with a double bass. This change in instrumentation offers a different tonal balance and depth, which is expected to create a distinctive listening experience.

Programme highlights

The ensemble will perform a complete string quintet by Swedish composer Elfrida Andrée (1841–1929), as well as selected movements from D’Automne by French composer Félicien David (1810–1876).

The concert begins at 11:00, with doors opening at 10:30. A brief intermission is planned, and the performance will conclude around 12:15.

Ticket information

Tickets for the concert are priced at €25. Reduced pricing is available for attendees who hold a Rotterdampas, Museumkaart, or a valid Jaarwandelkaart for Trompenburg Gardens. No physical tickets will be issued; entry is managed via a guest list.

More information and ticket details are available via the organiser’s website: Musique Botanique – Het Unique Quintet

Getting to the venue

Trompenburg Gardens & Arboretum is located in the Kralingen district of Rotterdam. The area is easily accessible by bike, public transport, or car. The entrance is only open to concert visitors during the event. Early arrival is advised due to limited parking availability.

HAPPENING 19–28 SEP 2025 | During Rotterdam Pride Week, the streets of Rotterdam transform into all colours of the rainbow in a celebration of sexual freedom, gender, gender identity and cultural diversity. Rotterdam Pride week boasts a diverse and colourful programme brimful of art, culture, talk shows, debates, entertainment and of course, more than 130 parties and events for all ages.

Rotterdam Pride March

The Pride March 2025 will take place on Saturday 27 September, with the city centre serving as the backdrop for a peaceful 3.5 kilometre walk in support of equal rights, visibility and acceptance of LGBTQIA+ individuals in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and worldwide.The gathering will begin at 10:30 at Stationsplein, followed by speeches at 11:00, and the official start of the march at 11:30. The route will lead participants through the heart of the city and end at Willemsplein, where the arrival is expected at approximately 13:00.

The event is being organised by GayRotterdam, COC Rotterdam, and a group of dedicated volunteers. Participants are encouraged to bring flags, wear colourful clothing, and join the march in a spirit of solidarity, freedom and connection. The organisers describe the event as a space where everyone should feel empowered to be themselves.

Pride Walk in Rotterdam. Photo credit: Alexander Suer

Rotterdam Pride Festival

Rotterdam Pride 2025 will conclude with a public event at Willemsplein on Saturday, 27 September. The open-air Pride Festival is scheduled to serve as the final celebration of the city’s Pride Week, inviting attendees to come together through music, community and expression.

According to organisers, a blend of well-known names, emerging talent and local performers will be featured on the festival stage. This year's theme, Queertopia, focuses on a vision of the future shaped by queer creativity, freedom and inclusivity.

Among the names confirmed for the line-up are Joost van Bellen, Xtra Xceptit, Mika Akela, Kyara Harley, Juliana X, Faye Ferry, The Space Choir, MEROL, Shary-An, Kiddy Smile, Jordan Roy & Emmaly Brown, House of Holographic Hoes and The Rainbow Club. More details can be found on the official website. 

How to get there

The Pride Festival will be held at Willemsplein, located at the foot of the Erasmus Bridge on the north side of the river. The area is easily accessible by public transport, including tram and metro connections via Leuvehaven and Wilhelminaplein stations. The location overlooks the Nieuwe Maas and is within walking distance of the city centre.

New ambassadors for 2025 Pride revealed

Rotterdam Pride has also announced the 2025 ambassadors. The role of ambassador is intended to promote visibility, inclusion and connection within and beyond the queer community. The ambassadors for this edition are:

• Faye Ferry
• Ma'Ma Queen
• Xtra Xceptit
• Paul van Dorst
• Chantal van der Putten
• Lodewijk van Dijk
• Kyara Harley
• Sharvin Ramjan
• Dik Otto
• Roxy Verwey

Organisers state that these individuals act as bridges between Pride and Rotterdam’s many queer communities.

Official afterparty at Now&Wow Club

Following the final act at Willemsplein, the celebration will continue indoors. The official afterparty, known as Vrij Volk Indoor, will be hosted at the Now&Wow Club. The event will feature DJ sets from artists connected to Berlin's queer music scene, including Roi Perez and DJ Aya. Entry is ticketed and subject to availability. 

For the full Rotterdam Pride programme and timetable, be sure to check out the Rotterdam Pride website.

HAPPENING 11–12 April 2026 | The Rotterdam Marathon is one of the largest sporting events in the Netherlands, and has been ranked by Runner's World magazine as one of the top 10 marathons in the world. The event has been held annually since 1981.

One of the fastest marathons in the world

Take part in the 45th edition of the NN Marathon Rotterdam, renowned as the fastest and most beautiful marathon in the Netherlands! Both elite runners from across the globe and tens of thousands of participants from the Netherlands and abroad will cross the finish line on the iconic Coolsingel during this thrilling marathon weekend.

Thanks to its flat course, the NN Marathon Rotterdam is one of the fastest marathons in the world. The event's vibrant atmosphere is unmatched in the Netherlands, with hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic spectators lining the streets to cheer on the runners, creating a true citywide celebration.

NN Marathon Rotterdam introduces pre-registration for 2026 edition

A new registration procedure will be introduced for the 2026 NN Marathon Rotterdam. Organisers have announced that pre-registration for the marathon distance will take place between 9 and 22 September 2025. After this period, available start numbers will be randomly assigned to those who have registered.

The revised approach follows the rapid sell-out of the 2024 edition, in which all 17,000 marathon bibs were claimed within 2.5 hours. Rijnmond reports that marathon director Wilbert Lek said the speed of the sell-out had taken organisers by surprise. “To give everyone a fair chance to obtain a bib, we are now using a system in which speed of registration is no longer the deciding factor,” he explained.

About Rotterdam Marathon

The very first Rotterdam Marathon took place in 1981 and saw 200 runners gather for the start. Today, the Rotterdam Marathon draws top runners from all over the world and has been growing steadily every year. More than 950,000 spectators show up to witness the event. In 2018, there were 13,997 finishers for the full marathon.

Rotterdam Marathon programme 

In 2026, the programme for the 45th edition of the Rotterdam Marathon probably consists of the following races:

Saturday, 11 April 2026

• City Run Rotterdam (4.2K)
• NN Kids Runs (1K and 2.5K)
• The Marathon Rotterdam Walk (5K, 10K, or 15K) 
• Your Marathon Challenge (1K)
• Schools and Clubs 

Sunday, 12 April 2026

• 1/4 Marathon Rotterdam (10k)
• NN Marathon Rotterdam (42k)
• Business Duo Marathon
• Business Relay Marathon

Rotterdam Marathon aftermovie

Register for the NN Rotterdam Marathon

Rotterdam Marathon course records

Rotterdam Marathon Route

The Rotterdam Marathon typically starts at the Erasmus bridge and ends on the Coolsingel. The route below is just an indication.

Rotterdam Marathon route for 2022

Watch the Rotterdam Marathon on television

HAPPENING 5 SEP | A Brazilian music evening is set to take place in the gardens of Trompenburg with Rotterdam-based ensemble Bossame. The open-air concert will highlight nostalgic reinterpretations of Brazilian classics.

Bossame brings Brazilian grooves to Trompenburg

On 5 September, Trompenburg Tuinen & Arboretum will host an open-air evening concert featuring Bossame, a music collective composed of seven Rotterdam-based musicians. The group will perform a repertoire inspired by Brazilian samba, bossa nova and MPB (Música Popular Brasileira), with arrangements reflecting influences from the 1950s to the 1990s.

The performance will include interpretations of songs associated with artists such as Chico Buarque, Dorival Caymmi, Caetano Veloso, João Gilberto, Tom Jobim, Djavan, João Bosco and Ivan Lins. The musicians, each with backgrounds in jazz, classical or pop music, met largely through EPM Holanda, a Brazilian music school in Rotterdam.

The evening will serve as an opportunity to experience what the band describes as "Música Roffa-Brasileira" – a nod to both their Rotterdam roots and their Brazilian influences.

Line-up

The ensemble consists of:

• Maria Leonor Parreira: vocals & flute
• Wim Millenaar: soprano & tenor saxophone
• Sascha Kats: acoustic guitar
• Gertjan Withagen: electric & acoustic guitar
• Maarten Meddens: bass guitar
• Mandy Melgert: percussion & cavaquinho
• David de Hartogh: drums

Event details

The concert is scheduled to begin at 19:30 and will include a short intermission. Visitors will be able to enjoy the music in the garden setting, which will be open exclusively to ticket holders for the duration of the evening.

Date: Thursday, 5 September 2025
Time: 19:00–21:30
Admission: from €20
Programme:

• Garden opens: 19:00
• Concert starts: 19:30
• Intermission: 20:15–20:45
• End: 21:30

Advance booking is required. Tickets are available through the Trompenburg website. Ticket holders will be admitted by name on the guest list.

Directions and location

Trompenburg Tuinen & Arboretum is located in Kralingen, a leafy district east of the city centre. The area is known for its residential charm and proximity to the Kralingse Plas. The garden can be accessed easily by bike or tram, with parking available nearby for those arriving by car.