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You are here: Amsterdam Events > events > Events for July 2009

Events for July 2009

Julidans ‐ June 30 to July 11, 2009

Dance lovers will be treated to two weeks of excitement in July with international dance festival, Julidans. It’s taking place around Amsterdam’s famous square ‐ Leidseplein and the highlights of the festival will be Sutra by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and de Shaolin Monks. This performance has only been seen in Groningen and this special production will be showcased in the brand new auditorium Rabozaal, in the Stadsschouwburg.

British Turner Prize‐winner Antony Gormley is behind the stage design and it’s sure to cause a stir. There will also be plenty of new names on display and the nineteenth edition of Julidans promises plenty of talent, dance and some of the world’s most prominent choreographers. For lovers of dance films, Cinedans ‐ the international parallel film and video festival, is scheduled to go ahead in the cinema Rialto.

U2 360° Tour ‐ July 20 and 21, 2009

For those lucky enough to get tickets, these concerts are likely to be the biggest thing to hit the Amsterdam Arena in 2009. Amsterdam is one of 14 stops on this European tour, before the band heads over to the US later in the year. Whether you manage to snag one of the remaining tickets, or you’re just in town around this time, you’ll be sure to get caught up in the buzz.

International Fashion Week ‐ July 18 to 26, 2009

If you’re looking to get ahead on the field, fashion‐wise that is, then the Amsterdam International Fashion Week is the place to be at the end of July. The week features a full program of catwalk shows, trade fairs, presentations, lectures and parties. While much of the show program is purely for professionals, Fashion Week DOWNTOWN has plenty of public catwalk shows, parties, shop launches, lectures and expositions. This is the world's only Fashion Week programme that’s open to the public and is organised in collaboration with local museums, galleries, designers, clubs and shops.

Comedytrain ‐ July and August, 2009

The Comedytrain International Festival takes over the Toomler Comedy Club in Amsterdam for six weeks every summer and this year it’s set to have a top notch line up. The likes of Adam Hills (Australia), Eddie Bannon (Ireland), Adam Bloom (UK), Paul Provenza (US) and Ron Vaudry (Canada) are set to hit the stage, and it is without a doubt the biggest laugh in Amsterdam. This year will be the tenth anniversary of the festival and you can check out the shows every night, from Wednesday through to Saturdays.

Robeco Summer Concerts ‐ July and August, 2009

The Robeco Summer Concerts run from late June through to August each year and they’re a great opportunity to catch some great orchestras and musicians, in one of the world’s most acoustically renowned halls ‐ the Concertgebouw. Financial powerhouse Robeco sponsors the concerts and there’s usually something on offer to suit all tastes. The concerts include children’s concerts, jazz concerts, foreign music and a weekend dedicated to guitar music ‐ Guitaarweekend. Says it all really.

Vondelpark Open Air Theatre ‐ Until August 23, 2009

The summer program of the Vondelpark Open Air Theatre will continue in July. With a standard weekly program, this theatre really does cater for all ages and tastes. Thursdays will showcase classical music, while Fridays will keep the dance enthusiasts entertained. Children’s performances, music theatre and cabaret will take place on the Saturdays, with Sunday clocking in as a bit of a mixed bag. Some musicians will also be composing day programmes and these will be presented on five Sunday afternoons.

‐ Lisa Herbertson

Surinam food

Now you might wonder what this has to do with your trip to Amsterdam, well the Dutch and the Surinamese are so used to living together, that we sometimes forget that tourists might not know about the Surinamese culture and will probably never walk into a Surinamese restaurant. If you don’t sample this food during your trip you’ll miss out on some of the tastiest treats on offer in Amsterdam.

Generally Surinam food is a spicy mixture. Roti is an important basis but so is rice, and they add all kinds of fish, meat and veggies to it. Also you can have a Surinam‐Indonesian restaurant (waroeng or eatery) which clearly focuses on the Javanese side of Surinam, offering Nasi Goran and Gado Gado.

One of my personal favourites is the Roti. Roti is served on a Indian style pancake, it’s filled with ground lentils and baked on a iron plate. It usually comes with duck, lamb or chicken in a curry sauce, and is accompanied by potatoes and long beans! Very tasty.

If you are wandering around the red light district and you get hungry, be sure to stop at Kam Yin at the end of the Warmoesstraat. Although it might not be world’s classiest restaurant (you sit on plastic chairs and coke is served in a can) you can have some excellent food at an excellent price (around 7 Euros for a main course)! But there’s more to Amsterdam than just great Surinamese food and if you want to get a true taste of the Amsterdam, then be sure to check out one of the events below.

Events in July

De Parade: Every summer the mobile theatre festival De Parade visits the Martin Luther King Park. With its theatre and dance performances, films, music, food stalls, antique whirligigs and miniature wheels, it has something to please everyone. There’s also a special Children's Parade every on every day of the festival. This one runs throughout July and August.

Vondelpark Open Air Theatre: Another free event can be found in Amsterdam’s most famous and beautiful park, the Vondelpark. Starting on June 4 ‐ you can expect free performances every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, including classical music, dance, theatre and cabaret. These are very popular nights so come early to avoid disappointment.

Amsterdam Gay Pride: Amsterdam Gay pride runs from July 31 until the August 2. Amsterdam Pride is the largest gay event in the Netherlands, with a multitude of cultural events, sports activities and parties. The climax is an extravagant and carnival‐esque boat parade through the Amsterdam canals on Saturday the August 1.

Julidans ‐ Beyond Fancy Steps: The international contemporary dance festival Julidans, gives an impression of what’s currently going on in the world of dance and theatre. Julidans brings with it performances who are daring, unusual and talked about. The festival also introduces the latest developments in African and Asian contemporary dance!

Artis ZOOmeravonden: It’s Saturday night and somewhere across Amsterdam, party animals are gathering expectantly in their night‐filled enclosures. It’s that time of the year again ‐ ZOOmeravond (summer nights) at Artis Zoo. If you’ve ever wondered what the animals get up to after hours, head down to this urban sanctuary which is open until sunset every Saturday in July and August.

Avant‐gardes 20s / 60s @ the Van Gogh Museum, from June 26: From the rich collection of the Stedelijk Museum, Avant‐gardes 20s / 60s puts work from the likes of Picasso, Malevich and Mondriaan with that of Warhol and De Kooning. Together this forms a major overview of the avant‐garde movements of both the 1920s and the 1960s.

‐ Eva Dam