HAPPENING 13–15 June 2025 | Rotterdam welcomes celebrated poets from around the world for a multi-day festival of readings, performances and conversations.

Poetry summit to be hosted at LantarenVenster during festival’s 55th edition

Rotterdam will once again become a hub for poetry lovers as the Poetry International Festival marks its 55th anniversary with a newly introduced component: the Poetry Summit. The summit, curated in collaboration with Dutch Poet Laureate Babs Gons (Dichter des Vaderlands), will bring together poets laureate and established names from a wide range of countries.

Participants will include writers who have been recognised nationally and internationally for their contributions to poetry. Throughout the festival, attendees will have access to poetry readings, lectures, interviews, debates and live performances. In addition, multiple workshops will be offered for those interested in learning more about the art and craft of poetry.

Poetry International opens with Conny Janssen

The 55th edition of the Poetry International Festival will begin on Thursday 12 June at Theater Zuidplein with a performance combining poetry and contemporary dance. This year’s opening programme is the result of a one-time collaboration between Poetry International and the Rotterdam-based dance company Conny Janssen Danst.

As part of a longstanding tradition, the festival has again commissioned an artist to create a unique production inspired by the festival’s theme. For this anniversary year, choreographer Conny Janssen has developed a special piece that unites the festival’s international poets with dancers from her company in a theatrical setting centred around the theme Laureates and Legends.

A declaration for future generations of poets

A central feature of the event will be the unveiling of the 'Declaration of future poetry generations' (Verklaring voor toekomstige generaties dichters). The document, which will be created and presented during the festival, aims to emphasise the importance of poetry and safeguard its future relevance and accessibility for generations to come.

International line-up of featured poets

The list of participating poets includes names from countries such as Ghana, Haiti, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Featured guests include Chris Tse (New Zealand), Patricia Jabbeh Wesley (Liberia), Simon Armitage (United Kingdom), Warsan Shire (Kenya), and Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer (Netherlands), among others. Their presence underscores the international scope of the event and its commitment to cross-cultural dialogue through literature.

Event programme and tickets

Programme highlights include main readings by Chris Tse, Jean D’Amérique and Momtaza Mehri, along with workshops such as Transforming Wounds by Warsan Shire. Events will take place primarily at LantarenVenster from 13 to 15 June 2025. The venue will also host open foyer activities, which can be visited without a ticket.

Tickets are available exclusively online. Prices are as follows:

• Day tickets: €27.50 (Friday and Sunday), €35 (Saturday)

• Passe-partout (weekend pass): €77.50

• Opening night (Thursday): €22.50 (not included in passe-partout)

• Workshops: €27.50 each

Discounts are available for students and RotterdamPas holders. Tickets are non-refundable, but may be resold via Ticketswap.

Festival venues

LantarenVenster

Otto Reuchlinweg 996
3072 MD Rotterdam
Wilhelminapier

LantarenVenster is easily accessible by public transport, car, bike, water taxi and on foot. Paid parking is available in nearby garages and lots.

Other participating venues include:

• Verhalenhuis Belvédère, Rechthuislaan 1, 3072 LB Rotterdam

• Theater Zuidplein, Gooilandsingel 95, 3083 DP Rotterdam

Each location can be reached by metro, tram or bus from Rotterdam city centre.

HAPPENING 14 June 2025 | The two-year anniversary of Eurobrouwers will be marked with a day-long festival celebrating beer, music, food and local flair. The event takes place on Friday 14 June at the Glasfabriek in Schiedam and concludes with a late-night afterparty.

Eurobrouwers marks anniversary with festival at Glasfabriek

Eurobrouwers will open the gates to the Glasfabriek in Schiedam at 14:00 on Friday 14 June to commemorate its second anniversary. The event, which continues until late in the evening, will feature a blend of local and national breweries, music acts, games and food vendors, highlighting Eurobrouwers’ role in the regional brewing scene. While the brewery will also unveil its own app during the celebration, the focus remains firmly on the public festivities.

Regional brewers and live music set the tone

Visitors will encounter five guest breweries from across the Netherlands, each setting up their own bar and taps. Among them are Jelster Bier from Rotterdam, Butcher’s Tears from Amsterdam, Kompaan and Bakkum Fermentation from The Hague, and Nevel from Nijmegen. Each brewery will present a distinct selection of beers, promising a varied tasting experience for attendees.

Live performances will include punk and garage rock acts, such as Rotterdam’s Peter Peterman and Schiedam-based band DE JEUGD. Music is scheduled throughout the day, contributing to the event’s dynamic and informal atmosphere.

A family-friendly day of food and games

Alongside the beer and music, Eurobrouwers has planned a range of family-friendly activities. A sandpit, retro arcade games by 160K, pétanque (jeu de boules), a bouncy castle and more have been organised to encourage relaxation and play.

On the culinary front, guests will find Detroit-style pizza by 160K and Squares, paella from Bar Alaska, Eurobrouwers’ own BBQ special, and an ice cream truck on site. Fresh, unfiltered pilsner will be available directly from the tanks throughout the day.

Afterparty extends the celebration

The main event concludes at 23:00, after which an informal afterparty will take place inside the brewery and kitchen. Entry is free, and the atmosphere is expected to remain lively into the early hours.

Ticket information

Entrance to the event includes a first drink and tickets can be purchased at eurobrouwers.stager.co. Entry for children is free of charge.

How to get there

The Eurobrouwers Festival will be held at the Glasfabriek in Schiedam. The location lies just west of Rotterdam and is accessible by bike, public transport or car. The Glasfabriek is a former industrial site now serving as a cultural and creative hub, adding a unique backdrop to the festivities.

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.