Tuesday July 5, 2011
Last weekend I had the opportunity to stop by the 6th Thailand Grand Festival, a little-known Thai cultural festival that takes place annually in Amsterdam. Located on the Beursplein, on Amsterdam's action-packed Damrak (the avenue that leads to Dam Square), festival filled the air with the sound of traditional Thai music and the scent of Thai delicacies. Cooks doled out specialties from wok noodle dishes to fruit-topped rice desserts from busy stalls, while troupes of dancers entertained the crowded square. All in all, it was a pleasant stop on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Amsterdam; travelers who find themselves in town next year at this time may want to check out the seventh edition of this small, but worthwhile festival for a taste of Thai culture.
Multicultural Amsterdam
Thursday June 30, 2011
Sunny July is an excellent month to cruise Amsterdam's historic canals, sip coffee or tea on its cafe patios, or stroll around its favorite parks. Make the most of Amsterdam in July with this essential travel advice, weather information, and the month's top festivals and events.
Amsterdam Year-Round
Tuesday June 28, 2011
Note: I have been notified that the event below has been cancelled for 2011. Hopefully it will return next year!
Amsterdam Southeast shows off its multicultural side each summer at the Kwakoe Festival, a festival whose activities are as varied as the ethnicities it represents. Each weekend from July until September, the end of slavery in Suriname is celebrated with music and dance, football, children's activities and more at the Bijlmer Arena; festival information is available at the Kwakoe Festival web site.
"Kwakoe" comes from the name of a statue that was erected in Paramaribo, Suriname to commemorate the 100th anniversity of the abolition of slavery in Suriname. As a former colony of the Netherlands, Surinamese culture has taken root in the Netherlands in the form of events like the Kwakoe Festival and the terrific Surinamese restaurants in Amsterdam and nationwide.
Multicultural Amsterdam
Thursday June 23, 2011
There's still two months left to catch one of Amsterdam's favorite free summer events, the Vondelpark Open-Air Theater (Openluchttheater). Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from June until September, visitors are treated to a variety of free performances that include dance, music (popular, classical and jazz), theater, cabaret, and special children's performances at the Vondelpark in Amsterdam South. No reservations are necessary, but visitors who want to ensure their places can reserve seats at the Vondelpark Open-Air Theater web site (at € 2.50 per person), which also contains the full calendar of events.
Amsterdam Parks
Photo © Flickr User Os Rúpias
