Organised by the Toomler comedy café, this annual festival features the very finest in English language stand-up comedy. With the likes of Adam Hills (Australia), Eddie Bannon (Ireland), Adam Bloom (UK), Paul Provenza (US) and Ron Vaudry (Canada), you're guaranteed to leave Toomler in stitches.

Toomler, Breitnerstraat 2, (Wed-Fri, 8:30–11:30pm)

comedytrain festival

Art Amsterdam (previously known as Kunst RAI) is a modern art fair, which is organised each year for five days in May in the RAI exhibition and conference centre, in the south of Amsterdam. It is a big fair, with more than 120 galleries from the Netherlands and an increasing number of foreign galleries, mainly from Western Europe and the United States. The accent is on new developments in art.

art amsterdam website

Are you trying to cool off this summer? Then go to the Vondelpark open air theatre just by the fountain and enjoy! From cabaret, drama, concerts to dance, there is something for everyone of all ages. Worth a visit just for the atmosphere.

vondelpark open air theater website

The Holland Festival is the biggest international performing arts festival in the Netherlands. It brings events from all over the world, from music, opera, theatre and dance. It also draws attention to chosen films and art shows as well as hosting interesting conferences and workshops.

holland festival

Amsterdam’s gardens are perhaps its best kept secret, as they’re rarely visible from the street. For this weekend you can visit around 30 gardens, some of which are private gardens. You can buy one ticket that gives you entry to all the gardens, and there is a special canal boat to take you from one location to another.

open garden days

international theater school festival

Probably the loudest event in Amsterdam, this is a festival of electronic music in several venues in Amsterdam. Originally, an indoor dance competition, it has evolved as a cultural event of international reputaion, presenting what is new in electronic music, with bands from all over Europe and the US.

5 days off website

Twice a year, an event presenting young and upcoming fashion in Europe, takes place in Amsterdam. This is the key fashion event.

Fashion Week is art, it not only involves showing new fashion collections, but also encompasses a range of events like fashion photography, exhibitions, museum exhibits about clothing, meetings of retailers and of course parties.

amsterdam fashion week

Kwakoe is a weekend event that takes place every Saturday and Sunday, 10am – 8pm in July and August. In Dutch terms, that makes for about 20 days of pure dancing, eating and anything else in between. Wind down on a hot summers day with theatre, music, film, literature, sport and everything on offer at this very lively multicultural and family-oriented festival.

kwakoe website

Each summer, informal and entertaining classical music concerts - the Robeco Zomerconcerten - take place at the prestigious & World famous Amsterdam Concertgebouw.

The Summer Concerts are sponsored, so the tickets are relatively cheap, starting from only € 12,50. This is an excellent opportunity to listen to classical music in one of the world’s most famous philharmonic halls.

robeco summer concerts

2009 logo not availiable

Nowadays, the parade stands proud as one of the few travelling festivals in the world. Inspired by traditional circuses, the park offers a brilliant kaleidoscope of brightly coloured tents making it simply picture perfect. De parade may look like an old-fashioned fairground but it promises a very action packed 17 days of 75 spectacles, featuring dance, theatre, magic, art, animation and music.

de parade website

The Gay pride festival presents an extensive programme with sports, cultural activities and parties. The highlight of the Amsterdam Gay Pride is the canal parade on 2 August, which is a carnivalesque, cultural and slightly naughty boat parade through Amsterdam's canals.

Simply, a great event, whether you're gay or not!!

gay pride website

For five days, special locations in the heart of Amsterdam form the backdrop for more than 80 classical concerts. The concerts can be enjoyed in houses and gardens of hospitable local inhabitants and in concert halls, historic buildings, museums and out of doors in the area around Prinsengracht.

The out door Prinsengracht Canal concert is awesome!

grachtenfestival website

SAIL Amsterdam is a large maritime event that takes place every 5 years. For six days, Amsterdam will be a vibrant exhibition of historic ships and nautical heritage. About 20 tall ships are expected in Amsterdam harbour, together with 500 historic sailing and motorboats.

sail amsterdam website

Ijburg, (Monday-Wednesday, 10am–late). Bring a picnic and a bucket and spade to Blijburg or 'Happyville,' a man-made temporary swimming beach complete with a funky restaurant–bar, DJs and bands. A vast array of hip Dutch architecture will be on show. Just check the weather in advance!

blijburg website

Considered to be the largest cultural event in Amsterdam, the Uitmarkt is definitely worth a visit. Organised every year during the last weekend of August, it offers performances, concerts, exhibitions, drama, countless workshops and a book market. And if you are still in doubt, the entrance is totally free!

uitmarkt website

The International Broadcasting Convention is along with the Las Vegas NAB show, the most important yearly meeting of the television, broadcasting and digital cinema professionals of the world.

IBC shows each year the latest technology equipment from all over the world, while its conference informs participants about the dominating business ideas, not only regarding broadcasting technology, but also content, management, as well as new trends in all fields.

ibc website

Organized by a Dutch interior magazine, Elle Wonen, the Inside Design Amsterdam event presents best design shops in the city, adding to it a number of special presentations, exhibits, fashion shows and lectures about design as well as free sessions of interior decoration advising and festive parties.

Each year, the event has new, interesting main topics, such as "food design" or "landscape architecture". Inside Design organizers issue a map with shops, restaurants, galleries and museums participating in the event.

inside design website

A big inner city street festival, celebrating the diversity of this former working class district. Features this year, include drum bands, a children's festival, opera and cabaret, a boules competition, a flea market and an auction.

jordaan festival

A unique festival presenting contemporary art shows, in the huge, old NDSM shipyard depot, in Amsterdam North. The atmosphere is rough, industrial, experimental. A lot of loud music, fire, smoke, noise and heavy machinery are usually elements of these performances. New and always inspiring, assuming that you are into this kind of art.

The 2009 website is not apparently on-line, so we are uncertain as to whether the 2009 festivsl is happening.

robodock arts festival

Two times a year, restaurants all over the Netherlands organize a week long event, during which they offer to their clients a full 3 course dinner for a mere € 25. The National Dining Week is a truly great idea, giving the opportunity to taste the food at some of the best Amsterdam eating places. A list of the participating restaurants is available at the website below.

nationale restaurant week website

This is the 34th edition of the Amsterdam marathon, indeed the oldest marathon in The Netherlands.

On Saturday night in a first week of November each year Amsterdam’s museums open through the night, most with special programmes.

museum night website

Pax Party House. Melkweg, various coffeehouses, (various times). Six days of pure hedonism: music, events, forums, and tasting sessions.

high times cannabis cup website

The biggest national antique fair in the Netherlands takes place in Amsterdam, and lasts for the full week. No wonder, as can be no hasty decisions made in the timeless fields of art and antiques. pAn takes place at the RAI congress and exhibition center. Last years showing also more of modern art of good quality, pAn is a fun to visit, even if you do not intend to buy anything.

pAn amsterdam website

November each year

Mid to end of November

Sunday in the middle of November each year

A small film festival, which functions in the shadow of the bigger event – the Amsterdam international documentary film festival - IDFA. The Shadow Festival concentrates on unusual and creative documentaries with an original style. It often presents the work of the students of the film schools. There are open discussions with the film author after each screening. An interesting event, which promotes exchange of new ideas.

shadow festival website

An excellent International documentary festival screens 200 documentary films and videos.

idfa website

December 25, December 26

December 31