Amsterdam hosts one of Europe’s most diverse festival calendars with events taking place throughout the year.
From large cultural celebrations (King’s Day) to major events such as Holland Festival, Grachtenfestival and Amsterdam Dance Event, the city offers a wide mix of music festivals, food festivals, film events and free outdoor celebrations.
The main festival season in Amsterdam runs from late spring through summer, although major events take place year-round across the city’s parks, venues and cultural spaces.
Below is our curated Amsterdam festival calendar for 2026, listing over 45 events by season, including key festivals in Amsterdam and a selection of major events elsewhere in the Netherlands.
Spring festivals in Amsterdam
Spring marks the start of the festival season in Amsterdam, with a mix of food festivals, cultural events and King’s Day.
Kaboom Animation Festival
Cutting-edge animation films from experimental art-house to colorful stories for families and kids.
Date: March 2027
Location: EYE Film/Melkweg, Amsterdam + various in Amsterdam and Utrecht
CineDans Fest
International ‘dance on screen’ festival with around 60 film screenings plus debates and workshops.
Date: March 2027 (23rd edition)
Location: EYE Film, Amsterdam
Amsterdam Wine Festival
Wine-themed event offering over 300 types of wines, workshops, tastings and live music.
Date: 26-29 Mar 2026
Location: Kromhouthal, Amsterdam
Tulip Festival (Tulp Festival)
The annual Tulip Festival in Amsterdam has thousands of tulips on display in tubs across the entire city during the month of April. See more events in Amsterdam in April 2026
Date: April 2026
Location: Amsterdam
DGTL Festival
Global electronic music festival with mix of cutting-edge stage designs, art installations and sustainability projects.
Date: expected 26-28 Mar 2027
Location: NDSM Docklands, Amsterdam
Amsterdam Coffee Festival
A festival event for coffee lovers and industry professionals featuring artisan coffee, gourmet food stalls, live roasting, barista demonstrations, music and art exhibitions. Founded 2014.
Date: expected 16-18 Apr 2026
Location: NDSM Loods, Amsterdam
King’s Day
Amsterdam goes orange crazy one day each year with this huge street party and market celebrating the King’s birthday.
Date: 27 Apr 2026
Location: Amsterdam + nationwide
Kingsland Festival
One day dance music event in Amsterdam which is the largest King’s Day festival event in the Netherlands.
Date: 27 Apr 2026
Location: Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam + Stadspark, Groningen
For more see our King’s Day 2026 Amsterdam guide
Rolling Kitchens (Rollende Keukens)
The Rollende Keukens food festival features dozens of mobile kitchens and food trucks offering appetising dishes plus live music. Entrance is free. Full guide to Amsterdam in May 2026
Date: 13-17 May 2026 (19th edition)
Location: Westerpark, Amsterdam
Amsterdam Art Week
[CONTEMPORARY ART] The Amsterdam Art Week event features a varied program of contemporary visual arts over 6 days around the city.Date: expected May 2026 (14th edition)
Location: various in Amsterdam including galleries, museums and project spaces
Fête du Champagne Festival
[CHAMPAGNE] Wine and champagne-themed event with French food and live music.Date: expected 21-25 May 2026
Location: Rembrandtpark, Amsterdam
DiscoDip Festival
Festival from Dutch TV chef Miljuschka featuring food trucks, workshops, wine tasting and live music.
Date: 23-24 May 2026 (TBC)
Location: Amsterdamse Bos
Summer festivals in Amsterdam
Summer is peak festival season in Amsterdam with major music festivals, outdoor events and cultural celebrations taking place across the city.
Holland Festival
The country’s biggest performing arts festival running most of June every year. The event features scores of performances including theatre, visual arts, classical, dance, opera and film. It attracts a high calibre of local and international performers with around 75,000 visitors. Founded 1947. What’s on in Amsterdam in June 2026
Date: 3-28 Jun 2026 (79th edition)
Locations: Multiple locations in Amsterdam
Amsterdam Open Air
[ELECTRONIC MUSIC] Outdoor music festival with camping area held over a weekend. Founded 2011.Date: 6-7 Jun 2026
Location: Gaasperpark, south-east Amsterdam
Amsterdam Roots Festival
Well-established international/world music and circus festival held at various venues around the city. Founded in 1983 as the Africa Roots Festival, and since 1998 as the Amsterdam Roots Festival.
Date: 28 Jun 2026 (44th edition)
Locations: Oosterpark, Amsterdam
Julidans
International contemporary dance festival with a broad programme. See our full event guide in Amsterdam in July 2026
Date: 2-14 Jul 2026 (36th edition)
Location: Internationaal Theater Amsterdam and other city venues
Kwaku Summer Festival
Large world music summer festival (founded in 1975 as a local football tournament) focussed around the culturally diverse Zuidoost (south-east) district of Amsterdam. Has a broad range of activities including art and music, a football tournament and food offerings.
Date: 11 Jul – 2 Aug 2026 over the weekends
Location: Nelson Mandela Park, Amsterdam
No Art Festival
Features unconventional art-performances and pioneering musicians.
Date: 25 Jul 2026
Location: Flevopark, Amsterdam
Milkshake Festival
Gay-friendly dance music festival over a weekend organised by Paradiso and AIR which includes a camping area.
Date: 25-26 Jul 2026
Location: Westergas, Amsterdam
Pride Amsterdam
Annual LGBT event held over a week at the end of July/beginning of August. The highlight is the canal parade around the Prinsengracht canal and river Amstel which attracts large crowds.
Date: 25 Jul – 8 Aug 2026
Location: various around Amsterdam
Dekmantel Festival
Electro music festival featuring a large line-up of cutting-edge artists.
Date: 31 Jul – 2 Aug 2026 (12th edition)
Location: Amsterdamse Bos and various venues around Amsterdam
Sail Amsterdam 2030
Major international tall ships event held in Amsterdam every 5 years. With around 600 ships moored around the IJ, it has become Europe’s largest free-access nautical event.
Date: August 2030 (11th edition)
Location: IJ harbour Amsterdam
Grachtenfestival
Canal festival featuring classical and jazz music performances throughout Amsterdam, many on unique stages on the city’s waterways. See more events in Amsterdam in August 2026
Date: 7-16 Aug 2026 (29th edition)
Location: various around Amsterdam
Loveland Festival
Big DJ dance festival event with a local and international line-up in the western suburbs of Amsterdam.
Date: expected 8-9 Aug 2026
Location: Sloterpark, Amsterdam
De Parade
A travelling theatre festival which visits Rotterdam, The Hague, Eindhoven, Utrecht and Amsterdam. The Amsterdam event takes place in the Rivierenbuurt district in the south of the city.
Date: 24 Jul – 9 Aug 2026
Location: Martin Luther King Park, Amsterdam
Reggae Lake Festival
The largest reggae music festival to be held in the Netherlands.
Date: 15-16 Aug 2026
Location: Gaasperpark, Amsterdam
Mystic Garden Festival
A weekend festival for 10,000 visitors set in a woodland about 45 minutes from Amsterdam. With house and techno music, fairytale decor, creative workshops and camping/glamping facilities. Founded 2012.
Date: 21-23 Aug 2026
Location: Horsterwold, Zeewolde
Pluk de Nacht Festival
“Seize the night” open-air film festival (free entry) showing a variety of unreleased international films, animations and documentaries. Also held in Utrecht. Founded 2003.
Date: August 2026 (23rd edition)
Location: Het Stenen Hoofd, Amsterdam
Prinsengrachtconcert
Large annual classical music open-air concert which is televised. Held on the Prinsengracht canal on a pontoon in front of the Hotel Pulitzer. Free to watch from the canal bridges and quays.
Date: 22 Aug 2026
Location: Prinsengracht, Amsterdam
Valtifest
Vibrant electronic music festival where DJs perform dance, house, electro and hip-hop. It is known for its unique annual themes and outrageous dress-codes.
Date: 22 Aug 2026
Location: Kaap Amsterdam
Mysteryland Festival
Large electronic music festival event with multiple stages held over an August weekend just outside Amsterdam. Features over 250 artists and 100,000 visitors. Includes a well-equipped camping site. Founded 1993.
Date: August 2027 (31st edition)
Location: Floriade festival grounds, Haarlemmermeer (near Hoofddoprp)
ZeeZout Festival
Intimate electronic music festival with the motto ‘making friends dance’, featuring underground house, techno, and disco.
Date: 29 Aug 2026
Location: Tuinen van West, Amsterdam
Autumn festivals in Amsterdam
Autumn brings a strong programme of film festivals, cultural events and electronic music highlights, including industry-leading events like the Amsterdam Dance Event.
Amsterdam Fringe Festival
The Dutch Theatre Festival shows the best of last season’s productions whilst the Fringe offers avant-garde theatre.
Date: 3-13 Sep 2026
Location: various around Amsterdam
KOHA (Klassiek Op Het Amstelveld)
Open-air festival which gives a stage to young international classical music talent. Free entry.
Date: 18-19 Sep 2026
Location: Amstelveld, Amsterdam
TAPT Festival Amsterdam West
Drink festival with beers, wines, food and games in west Amsterdam.
Date: 18-19 Sep 2026
Location: Rembrandt Park, Amsterdam
Ambacht in Beeld Festival
Festival offering workshops, masterclasses and documentary films covering a wide range of craft skills.
Date: 26-27 Sep 2026.
Location: NDSM Loods, Amsterdam
Amsterdam Lift-Off Film Festival
International film festival showcasing emerging artists and featuring shorts, documentaries, animations and features.
Date: 1-31 Oct 2026.
Location: virtual event
Camera Japan
Japanese cultural festival which features film, art, music, architecture plus Japanese food. Founded 2006.
Date: 1-4 Oct 2026 (21st edition)
Location: LAB111, Amsterdam
Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
Major international conference and festival for electronic music. The festival normally has an extensive range of electronic sub-genres; it’s also the world’s most important electric music conference for industry professionals. See what’s on in Amsterdam in October 2026
Date: 21-25 Oct 2026 (31st edition)
Location: various around Amsterdam
Cinekid
International film, television and new media festival for kids.
Date: 10-25 Oct 2026
Location: Pathé Amsterdam Noord
Imagine Fantastic Film Festival
Well-established international film festival showing sci-fi, cult, fantasy and horror films. Founded 1984.
Date: 29 Oct – 8 Nov 2026 (42nd edition)
Location: Film Hallen/LAB111, Amsterdam
IDFA
International documentary film festival Amsterdam. Annual event showing a wide variety of thought-provoking documentaries.
Date: 12-22 Nov 2026 (39th edition)
Location: Various in Amsterdam including Pathé Tuschinski, Het Ketelhuis, de Brakke Grond theatre
Winter festivals in Amsterdam
Winter festivals in Amsterdam focus on light installations, indoor cultural events and seasonal experiences – headlined by the popular Amsterdam Light Festival.
Amsterdam Light Festival
The Amsterdam Light Festival exhibits light art installations around the centre of Amsterdam during the winter.
Date: 26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027 (15th edition)
Location: Amsterdam canals
Chocoa Festival
Chocolate festival promoting sustainable and good quality chocolate including workshops and tastings.
Date: Feb 2027 (13th edition, TBC)
Location: Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam
IMPRO Amsterdam
Improvisation theatre festival which attracts a high calibre of international impro players.
Date: Feb 2027 (31st edition)
Location: Zonnehuis Theatre, Amsterdam
Free Festivals in AmsterdamMany Amsterdam festivals are free to attend, especially outdoor food and cultural events during summer.
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Other festivals in the Netherlands
Pinkpop
Large annual rock and pop music festival running which features major artists playing on 4 stages. Founded 1970.
Date: 19-21 Jun 2026
Location: Megaland, Landgraaf in Limburg, south Netherlands.
North Sea Jazz Festival
The world’s largest indoor music festival held over 3 days featuring international jazz plus blues, soul, funk, hip hop, world music and more. Founded 1976.
Date: 10-12 Jul 2026
Location: Ahoy, Rotterdam
Redhead Days
Gathering of ‘redhead’ people from all over the world. Festival includes about 50 activities and a group photoshoot. Founded 2005.
Date: 28-30 Aug 2026 (19th edition)
Location: Spoorpark, Tilburg
More Events in Amsterdam |
NOTE – We try to provide as accurate info as possible, however some smaller events may only confirm exact dates a few weeks beforehand; events can also be changed or cancelled at short notice. Always check directly with the event organisers.
This article was first published in 2019. Last updated 18 March 2026.
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