Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival - dates, artists & information

Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival - dates, artists & information

HAPPENING 3–5 JULY 2026 | Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival is an annual music event which takes place at the Noordplein in Rotterdam Noord. The event has grown into one of the best bluegrass festivals in Europe.

Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival is not just about music. There's also a wide range of workshops, exhibitions and jam sessions as well as underground comics. The three-day festival is also a good place to find fresh food and drinks at affordable prices. Get your hot dogs, perfectly golden brown fries, high-quality organic meat, vegan stew, chicken stew and salads from the various stands and food trucks.

Heads up! The information below is from the 2025 edition. This article will be updated soon as new details for 2026 are announced.

 

Pre-party at Theater Walhalla on 3 July

This year marks the first time an official pre-party is being held as part of the Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival (RBF). The gathering at Theater Walhalla, located in one of Rotterdam’s most characterful neighbourhoods, aims to bring the community together in an intimate setting. Be sure to get your tickets beforehand. 

Attendees will be treated to a performance by the festival’s 2025 artists-in-residence, Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves. Hailing from Canada and the United States respectively, the duo are known for their work in the roots and folk music scene. Their performance will take place in the theatre’s small-scale venue, which has been chosen to highlight the acoustic qualities of their music.

 

Tickets for Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival

If you've been a regular visitor in previous years, please note that the festival is no longer free for adults. This year, a day ticket costs €17 and a festival pass is €45. Children up to the age of 14 enter free if accompanied by an adult. Tickets and detailed information are available here

Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival Line-up 2025

Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival features amazing folk artists from Europe and the USA. Artists performing at this year's Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival (so far) include:

The Devil Makes Three (US) // The Brothers Comatose (US) // Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band (US) // Nick Shoulders (US) // Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys (CAN) // Brennen Leigh & Joshua Hedley (US) // Tim Knol & Blue Grass Boogiemen (NL) // Jake Blount (US) // Pert Near Sandstone (US) // Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves (CAN/US) // Angry Zeta (ARG) // Chicken Wire Empire (US) // Daddy Long Legs (US) // Maurice van Hoek & Bertolf (NL) // Addie Levy (US) // Creekbed Carter Hogan (US) // Jourdan Thibodeaux et les Rôdailleurs (US) // Yes Ma'am (US) // Bab L’ Bluz (FR/MA) // Pixie and the Partygrass Boys (US) // Radim Zenkl & Ondra Kozák (CZ) // Dom Glynn & His Sunday Best (UK) // Taff Rapids (WAL) // Blue Forest Pickers (NL) // The Vaudevillian (CAN) // The New West (NL) // Renegade Bandits (NL)

 

Check out the 2025 timetable

Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival timetable for 2025Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival timetable for 2025

 

Have a look at a recap video

 

 

The Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival sounds like:

 

Location: Noordplein Rotterdam

 
Rotterdam Rooftop Days - dates, locations, information

Rotterdam Rooftop Days - dates, locations, information

HAPPENING 29 May–9 June 2025 | The Rotterdam Rooftop Days, better known in Dutch as 'Rotterdamse Dakendagen,' is an annual event that takes place on the first weekend of June. Reach new heights and stand tall among the skyscrapers as they open their roofs to the public.
 

Rotterdam Rooftop Days celebrates 10th edition with 10-day event in 2025

Rotterdam Rooftop Days (Rotterdamse Dakendagen) marks its 10th anniversary in 2025 with a special 10-day programme. Taking place between 29 May and 9 June, the event will feature two festival weekends and a range of unique rooftop experiences across the city.

 

Key rooftop experiences

 

Rooftop Roetsj at the Maritime Museum

A signature attraction this year is the Rooftop Roetsj, located on the roof of the Maritime Museum. This installation features an exhibition highlighting the interaction between urban water management, green infrastructure, and architectural design. Visitors may conclude their visit by descending via a slide that offers a view over Coolsingel and Leuvehaven. Stair access is also available.

 

Las Palmas hosts Rethink Rooftops conference

On 6 June, the Las Palmas building will serve as the venue for the Rethink Rooftops conference. This international event brings together urban planners, policymakers, and researchers to discuss rooftop innovation. Topics include legal frameworks for rooftop development, the impact on housing shortages, and examples of best practices from other cities.

 

Expanded weekend activities

 

Rooftop encounters (Dakontmoetingen)

On the weekends of 31 May–1 June and 7–8 June, a broad selection of rooftops will host open visits under the theme of 'Dakontmoetingen' (rooftop encounters). These self-paced explorations combine live performances, site-specific art, architecture tours, and urban installations. Each visit lasts 30 to 60 minutes, allowing attendees to visit multiple rooftops throughout the day.

 

Mini Rooftop Concert at Groot Handelsgebouw

On 31 May, singer and countertenor Arturo den Hartog will perform a blend of classical, Surinamese folk, and jazz influences on the rooftop of Groot Handelsgebouw. The performance adds a musical dimension to the event’s cultural offerings and is open to visitors with valid tickets.

 

Minigolf and skyline views at De Startmotor

On 7 and 8 June, the rooftop of De Startmotor in the Feijenoord district will be converted into a temporary minigolf course. Visitors are invited to play while enjoying panoramic views of Rotterdam's southern skyline.

 

Rooftop Film Nights at Las Palmas

As part of the evening programme, Las Palmas will host a series of film screenings, including the action classic Die Hard with a Vengeance, in collaboration with Kino Rotterdam on 8 June. The screenings aim to offer a cinematic experience under the open sky.

 

Parkour and freerunning at Fenix I

At Fenix I, a rooftop parkour trail curated by Rotterdam-based freerunning collective 010Trickz will be open during the first weekend of June. The installation is suitable for both participants and spectators, with scheduled performances demonstrating the athletic potential of rooftop space.

 

Botanical rooftop tours

On the roof of the Timmerhuis, guided tours will be conducted focusing on urban greenery and biodiversity. These tours examine how rooftop gardens contribute to ecological balance and temperature regulation in the city.

 

There's a lot more going on, so be sure to check out the full programme

 

New rooftops to explore in 2025

In addition to familiar locations such as the Witte Huis, Maassilo, Delftse Poort, and Van Nelle Factory, several new rooftops will participate this year. Among the new locations:

  • De Nieuwe Boompjes – Offering impressive city views and showcasing how rooftops can contribute to a greener, more innovative Rotterdam.

  • Hoogheemraadschap – Overlooking the Nieuwe Maas, this rooftop highlights water management solutions, sustainability, and climate adaptation.

  • Pameijer Media Department – Housed in a former Heineken building, this rooftop will feature an interactive media experience, with visitors participating in capturing stories using cameras and microphones.

 

Rooftop Roetsj: slide from the Maritiem Museum roof

A special feature of this year's event is the Rotterdam Rooftop Roetsj, located above the Maritime Museum. Visitors can explore an outdoor exhibition with views over Coolsingel and Leuvehaven, followed by a thrilling descent down a rooftop slide. For those less inclined to slide, stairs will also be available.

The Rooftop Roetsj aims to showcase a futuristic city vision where water, greenery, and architecture merge.

 

Rotterdam Rooftop Roetsj – © Rotterdamse DakendagenRotterdam Rooftop Roetsj – © Rotterdamse Dakendagen

 

Rethink Rooftops: knowledge-sharing for professionals

On Friday 6 June, the event will host the international knowledge day Rethink Rooftops on the rooftop of Las Palmas. This conference will feature keynote speeches, focus sessions, and networking opportunities. Topics will include innovative rooftop usage, the impact of legislation on rooftop developments, and solutions for housing challenges.

 

About Rotterdam Rooftop Days

The annual Rooftop Days weekend consists of around 60 roofs open for visitors, often accompanied by a guide or featuring music, theatre, or visual arts.  During the Rotterdam Rooftop Days, you can visit all these varied roofs throughout the city. As a visitor, you will access lofty spots, where you would normally only find air installations and solar panels, or locations (as on most roofs) where, usually, nothing is happening at all. The rooftop festival programme focuses on creative ways to use these spaces, as the city becomes increasingly crowded and congested. Artists and designers will demonstrate the potential of rooftops to make the city more enjoyable, sustainable, and sociable. Highlights of this edition include various theatre performances, specially created for the rooftop as a stage, with the skyline as a backdrop.
 
Rotterdam Rooftop Days are part of Rotterdam Architecture Month. The Rotterdam Rooftop Days encourage exploration and enjoyment of the city's upper levels. Activities are grouped into three main categories:

  1. Open Rooftops: These rooftops offer a blend of experiences including exhibitions, performances, and refreshments. A Dakpas (rooftop pass) grants entry to all open rooftops for one day.

  2. Guided Tours: These tours, available on the same days as the Open Rooftops, provide a more structured experience with guided visits to rooftops that have a significant story or unique features. The tours are primarily in Dutch and cater to those looking to delve deeper into the city’s architectural and cultural layers.

  3. Specials: These events include a diverse array of rooftop happenings, from theatre productions and film

 

Tickets to Rotterdam Rooftop Days

For ticket sales and routes, visit rotterdamsedakendagen.nl.

 
Rotterdamse Dakendagen 📷 Frank HanswijkRotterdamse Dakendagen 📷 Frank Hanswijk
 

Rotterdamse Dakendagen 📷 Frank HanswijkRotterdamse Dakendagen 📷 Frank Hanswijk
 
Rotterdamse Dakendagen 📷 Frank HanswijkRotterdamse Dakendagen 📷 Frank Hanswijk
 
Cape Verdean culture night at OASE Rotterdam

Cape Verdean culture night at OASE Rotterdam

HAPPENING 30 May 2025 – A cultural evening highlighting Cape Verdean identity and diaspora is set to take place along the Maas. The event will include film, discussion, and Cape Verdean food and music.

 

Morabeza aan de Maas explores Cape Verdean heritage in Rotterdam

A collaborative event by Roffa Mon Amour, OASE, and artist Alice Fortes will be held on Thursday, 30 May 2025, to honour the Cape Verdean diaspora in Rotterdam. The gathering, titled Morabeza aan de Maas, will focus on community, identity, and intergenerational heritage through film, discussion, and music.

 

Film screening of The Last Harvest

Central to the programme is the screening of The Last Harvest, a 22-minute film by Portuguese–Cape Verdean filmmaker Nuno Boaventura Miranda. The short premiered earlier this year at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR).

The narrative follows three individuals in Lisbon: Gabriel, who fears he is forgetting his late father’s face; Isabel, a single mother struggling with financial challenges; and Firmino, who reflects on belonging after losing the garden he considered his link to Cape Verde. The film presents an interwoven, intimate portrait of life in the diaspora and the universal search for connection.

 

Morabeza aan de Maas brings film and dialogueMorabeza aan de Maas brings film and dialogue

 

A panel talk on 50 years of independence and diaspora

The event will also feature a panel talk in Dutch, addressing the themes of independence, heritage, and identity within the Cape Verdean diaspora. Panellists include Alice Fortes (Artstudio Hoogvliet), Elma Pinto e Neto Brito (.Zer10), Savannah Da Rosa (Kaapverdisch Goud), and Odair Pereira (Dair Design). The conversation will be moderated in collaboration with cultural partners active in Rotterdam’s creative and diasporic communities.

 

Cape Verdean atmosphere at OASE

Before and after the film programme, OASE will host a Cape Verdean-inspired beach café setting titled Strandtent goes Kaapverdië. From 16:00 to 20:00 and again after 22:00, visitors can enjoy Cape Verdean music, snacks, and non-alcoholic cocktails. Attendees are encouraged to exchange stories, memories, and visions for the future of the Cape Verdean community in Rotterdam.

 

Full programme

Location: OASE Rotterdam

  • 16:00 – 20:00 | Strandtent goes Kaapverdië

  • 20:15 – 21:00 | Panel talk (Dutch)

  • 21:00 – 21:30 | Screening of The Last Harvest (with English subtitles)

  • 21:30 – 22:00 | Q&A with director Nuno Boaventura Miranda and Nelly dos Reis (English)

  • 22:00 – 23:00 | Informal gathering

Tickets can be purchased here.

 

How to get there

OASE is located on the Maasboulevard in central Rotterdam. The venue sits along the river and is easily accessible by bicycle, tram, or metro from the city centre. It is situated near the Entrepot area, known for its creative and waterfront atmosphere.


Bombing of Poems: 100,000 poems descend on Rotterdam

Bombing of Poems: 100,000 poems descend on Rotterdam

HAPPENING 14 May 2025Rotterdam will mark the 85th anniversary of the 1940 bombing with an unusual poetic tribute. At sunset, thousands of poems will descend upon the city centre as a symbolic gesture of peace and reflection.

 

Poems to fall from the sky above Binnenrotte on 14 May

On 14 May 2025, exactly 85 years after the devastating bombing of Rotterdam, a symbolic event titled Bombing of Poems will take place at sunset. Between 21:15 and 22:15, 100,000 printed poems will be released above the Binnenrotte, drifting down onto the heart of the city as a reflection on peace, memory, and cultural resilience.

The initiative, developed by the Chilean arts collective Casagrande, will be carried out in the Netherlands by Poetry International. Previous editions of the project were held in cities such as Berlin, Dubrovnik, Guernica, London, Milan, and Warsaw – all of which, like Rotterdam, have experienced aerial bombardments. According to the organisers, the event aims to transform public memory of violence into a space for art and contemplation.

 

 

Poems from Dutch and Chilean poets

A total of 100 poets have contributed to the project, split evenly between Dutch and Chilean authors. The poems will be printed on bookmark-sized slips of paper, each one featuring the original language and a translated version. Dutch poems will appear in both Dutch and Spanish, while Chilean works will be printed in Spanish and Dutch.

Through this bilingual and international approach, Poetry International seeks to underline the cross-cultural relevance of poetry and its potential to bridge linguistic and geographical divides.

 

Reflecting on Rotterdam’s history

The Binnenrotte – located in the historic centre of the city – was one of the areas most heavily damaged during the bombing on 14 May 1940. Following the war, the area was gradually reconstructed and now serves as a symbol of the city’s resilience and reinvention. For this reason, it has been chosen as the setting for Bombing of Poems, underscoring both remembrance and renewal.

 

Bombing of Poems: 100,000 poems descend on BinnenrotteBombing of Poems: 100,000 poems descend on Binnenrotte

 

Event details

Date: Wednesday 14 May 2025 (with 15 or 16 May as backup dates in case of poor weather)
Time: 21:15–22:15
Admission: Free
Reservation: Not required but recommended via Poetry International’s website

Attendees who catch one of the falling poems or hold a reservation ticket may also access Museum Rotterdam’s exhibition on the 1940 bombing free of charge.

 

How to get to Binnenrotte

The Binnenrotte is located in the centre of Rotterdam, adjacent to Blaak station and within walking distance of major landmarks such as the Markthal and the Central Library. This wide, open square sits in what was once the medieval core of the city, making it a historically resonant site for the event. The area is well served by public transport and includes multiple tram, metro and train connections.

Rotterdam beach season kick‑off: complete festival guide

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. 

How about a live show tonight?

Special events happening soon

How about a live show tonight?

Special events happening soon

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