festival - Rotterdam Festivals

Rotter
Rotterdam
Festival
Guide
July • August
2012
introduction
Rotterdam is the ultimate festival city, with the credentials to prove it: in 2010,
Rotterdam was named a World Festival & Event City by the International Festivals
& Events Association. And it’s not hard to see why.
With a long tradition of hosting festivals, these diverse events have become a vital
part of the city’s cultural identity. Every year, galas ranging from the International Film
Festival Rotterdam to Summer Carnival, the North Sea Jazz Festival and City Racing
Rotterdam attract thousands of visitors from the Netherlands and abroad, with
new events – large and small – popping up all the time, in mainstream and off-thebeaten-track locations.
This summer, the city of Rotterdam will once again be filled with festivals featuring
theatre, music, dance, jazz and lots more. Here’s a round-up of our favourites…
All enquiries
Tel 020 522 5200
Fax 020 620 1666
info@timeoutamsterdam.nl
www.timeoutamsterdam.nl
Editor Mark Smith
Writer Elysia Brenner
Designer Johanna Nock
Account Manager Sabine de Groot
July/August 2012 Rotterdam Festival Guide 3
Festival Agenda
festival agenda
Metropolis Festival
July
North Sea Round Town
Prior to and during the world-renowned
North Sea Jazz Festival in Ahoy, Rotterdam will host a wealth of (mostly free)
concerts at locations throughout the city.
As well as more jazz than you can shake
a stick at, there’ll be exhibitions, boat
trips with live jazz, masterclasses, films
and video presentations.
Various locations around the city (north
searoundtown.com). Until Sun 8 Jul.
variety of performances and creative
workshops for children – combine to
create the ultimate feel-good festival
atmosphere.
Het Park by the Euromast (zomerzon
dagen.nl). Sun 1 & Sun 8 Jul.
North Sea Jazz Festival
This festival is known all over the world
for its broad take on jazz of all genres –
ranging from traditional New Orleans,
swing, bop, free jazz and fusion to avantgarde and electronic jazz – and its stellar
line-up of international talent. If jazz
isn’t your thing, blues, gospel, funk, soul,
R&B, hip hop, world beats and Latin
Metropolis Festival
Metropolis is the place for (inter)national
up-and-coming musical talents to show
the world why they’re stars in the
making. With bands such as Interpol
and The Strokes having made their
breakthrough at this festival, you can be
sure future headliners await discovery.
Zuiderpark (metropolisfestival.nl).
Sun 1 Jul.
ZomerZondagen
(Summer Sundays)
The Park next to Rotterdam’s
Euromast is the place to be during
ZomerZondagen, when sunny music
from a wide range of top acts – plus a
North Sea Jazz Festival
4 Rotterdam Festival Guide July/August 2012
music will also feature.
Ahoy Rotterdam, Ahoyweg 10 (northsea
jazz.com). Fri 6-Sun 8 Jul.
Street Science
An international hip-hop festival bring
hip-hop culture to the masses and making it accessible for everyone. At Street
Science renowned hip-hop artists from
around the world meet Holland’s own,
and offer the audience a wide variety
of events that speak to the mind and
the soul.
Mini Mall, Raampoortstraat 30;
Maassilo, Maashaven Zuidzijde 1-2
(streetscience.nl). Fri 13-Sun 15 Jul.
from the Netherlands and far beyond –
take part in the nation’s largest tropical
carnival parade.
City centre (zomercarnaval.nl).
Sat 28 Jul.
Duizel in het Park (A
Dazzling Party in the Park)
Duizel in het Park
Underground Nation
The first outdoor hardcore festival in
the city centre of the genre’s birthplace:
Rotterdam. Famous local hardcore
champions – including Paul Elstak,
Neophyte, DJ Rob and the Rotterdam
Terror Corps – join with international
acts, who all passionately spin hardcore
all around the world every weekend.
Schiehaven (undergroundnation.nl).
Sat 14 Jul.
Wednesday Night Skate
Starting 18 July, Rotterdam’s Wednesday night streetscape will again be
defined by skating masses. Wednesday
Night Skate attracts thousands of skaters for a fun and sporty evening, and
the 12-kilometre track is suitable for all
skaters, regardless of age or whether
you have roller- or inline-skates.
Begins and ends at Binnenrotte
(wednesdaynightskate.nl). Every Wed,
18 Jul-15 Aug.
– featuring more than 100 musicians
– will compete for the prestigious title
of Best Brass Band of the Netherlands.
Expect uplifting rhythms, exciting live
shows and an ecstatic crowd.
Coolsingel (zomercarnaval.nl).
Fri 27 Jul.
Zomercarnaval
(Summer Carnival)
On the last Saturday of July, Rotterdam
will become the largest tropical dance
floor in the Netherlands. The Street
Parade is the Summer Carnival’s festive
highlight, meandering through the
streets of Rotterdam, filling the city
centre with vivid colour, spectacular
carnival floats and the best Latin beats.
Every year more than 2,000 entrants –
Young and old, dogs and pigeons –
everyone will be amazed. Duizel in het
Park will feature snacks and sparkling
drinks, as well as musicians, writers and
artists. Emerge yourself in installations,
daydream at exceptional performances
or travel to faraway destinations in the
stories of writers. Don't forget to bring
your imagination!
Vroesenpark (duizelinhetpark.nl). Sat 4
& Sun 5 Aug.
Boothstock
Rotterdam’s newest dance event, Boothstock features both familiar and new
sounds in a celebration of progressive
electronic dance music. Dance your way
between several DJ booths – manned
by representatives of six top dance
labels – at this fun and colourful festival
with a relaxed atmosphere for the true
dance fan.
Zuiderpark (boothstock.nl). Sat 11 Aug.
Dag van de Romantische
Muziek (Day of Romantic
Music)
Calling all romantics: a beautiful sunny
ContainerFest 0.1
This new multidisciplinary festival
features progressive electronic music
combined with an industrial setting,
performance arts, art and light installations. A wide range of talented
musicians and artists will perform,
including a number of local experts in
the field of electronic music.
Lloyd Multiplein (containerfest.com).
Sat 21 Jul.
Battle of Drums
The night before Rotterdam’s Summer
Carnival culminates in the riotously colourful Street Parade. Four brass bands
Zomercarnaval (Summer Carnival)
For more information visit rotterdamfestivals.nl
July/August 2012 Rotterdam Festival Guide 5
Festival Agenda
August
Festival Agenda
Dag van de Romantische Muziek
park, an amorous atmosphere and
delicious picnic baskets await. Listen to
romantic music, from classical to popular and gypsy genres, while sipping a
glass of wine with your beloved.
Het Park by the Euromast
(dagvanderomantischemuziek.nl).
Sun 12 Aug.
Pleinbioscoop Rotterdam
(Open-Air Cinema)
Want to catch a film under a starry summer sky? Bring your friends and family
(or a date) to Pleinbioscoop Rotterdam and
enjoy Hollywood blockbusters, the best
art-house films and the greatest hits of
world cinema in the open air.
Museumpark (pleinbioscooprotterdam.nl).
Wed 15 Aug-Sun 2 Sep.
City Racing Rotterdam
Held in the heart of Rotterdam, City
Racing Rotterdam is unique in the
world of first-class international racing.
Expect demonstrations from Formula
1 drivers like Nico Rosberg and other
petrol-head favourites, live on the city
streets. Great entertainment for both
racing fanatics and casual fans.
Willemsbrug & Willemskade (cityracing.
nl). Sun 26 Aug.
World Ports Classic
A new two-day cycling event brings
CuliNESSE
CuliNESSE festival combines the
culinary, cultural and musical worlds.
Enjoy the delicious dishes of renowned
restaurants from the region to the
accompaniment of performances by
top Dutch music stars. Last year Candy
Dulfer, DO and the winners of TVOH
provided high-quality entertainment,
so expect an equally great calibre of
programming this year.
Strand Nesselande (culinesserotterdam.
nl). Thur 16-Fri 17 Aug.
OVG Veerhavenconcert
A classical concert in the open air in
one of Rotterdam’s most charming
harbours. If you’re not lucky enough to
captain your own boat, enjoy the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra from
the quayside.
Veerhaven (veerhavenconcert.nl). Sat 25 Aug.
City Racing Rotterdam
6 Rotterdam Festival Guide July/August 2012
the cycling pros back to Rotterdam
after the Grand Départ of the Tour
de France. The World Ports Cycling
Classic sees world-class cyclists
cover 180km between the two largest
port cities in Europe: Rotterdam and
Antwerp (Belgium). On day one the
cyclists will depart from Rotterdam,
cycle through Zeeland and part of
Brabant to Antwerp; on the second
day, they race back to Rotterdam
following a different route through
Brabant.
See website for starting location
(worldportscyclingclassic.nl). Fri 31
Aug-Sat 1 Sep.
September
preview
Wereldhavendagen
(World Port Days)
Rotterdam Port (wereldhavendagen.nl).
7-9 Sep.
Rotterdam Philharmonic
Gergiev Festival
Various locations (gergievfestival.nl).
7-15 Sep.
24 uur cultuur (24 hour culture)
Various locations
(24uurcultuurrotterdam.nl).
15 & 16 Sep.
24 uur cultuur
Parking in Rotterdam
Free parking at P+R locations
The cheapest and easiest way to
park is in a Park+Ride location
on the outskirts of the city. Here
you can take advantage of free
parking. All P+R areas have direct
links with public transport to
the city centre. rotterdam.nl/
parking
Parking in the city centre?
It’s only possible to pay for your
parking permit by ‘Chipknip’. Topup points can be found at banks,
usually next to the cash machine.
Pre-paid Chipknips are available
for tourists.
Public transport
OV Chip Card
The OV Chip Card is the only available travel ticket for all RET metros,
trams and buses in the entire Rotterdam metropolitan area. Buy your
OV Chip Card at a ticket machine
at train stations. ret.nl
RET
For all your travel enquiries concerning Rotterdam and surroundings,
visit the RET service centre: Rotterdam Central Station or RET service
shop at Laan op Zuid 2. ret.nl
Information
Use-it
Use-it is an information point for
young travellers on a budget.
(010 240 9158/use-it.nl)
Rotterdam.Info
Rotterdam.Info is the central
information point of Rotterdam,
providing all necessary information regarding your visit. Services
include hotel bookings, gift and
shopping tips and vouchers.
Coolsingel 195-197 (0900 403
4065 [€0.35/min]/rotterdam.info)
Published by Stichting Rotterdam
Festivals. With thanks to all institutions and festival organisations that
have helped with this publication.
Editorial: Rotterdam Festivals
Images: Bas Czerwinski, Marco de
Swart and Fred Ernst
Press run: 17,500
Partner Rotterdam Festivals:
rotterdamsuitburo.nl
Follow Rotterdam Festivals on
© Rotterdam Festivals | July 2012
The programme is subject to
changes. For the most up-to-date information, visit rotterdamfestivals.nl.
July/August 2012 Rotterdam Festival Guide 7
Visitor Info
visitor information