Events for November 2009
It’s the season to be jolly … no wait a minute. Isn’t the jolly season in December? Well that’s true for most countries but not for the Netherlands! Here is your guide to the early Christmas festivities and everything else that promotes fun, and joyous abandon in Amsterdam this month.
Story Highlights
- Saint Sinterklaas in Amsterdam
- The Cannabis Cup
- CHOCA
- IDFA
- Museum Night
Saint Sinterklaas in Amsterdam
On November 15, 2009 our beloved Saint Sinterklaas arrives in Amsterdam. Sinterklaas is a Santa Clause like figure but a bit skinnier than the famous mince pie eater and way older. Instead of elves as helpers he has black Peters (zwarte pieten) and he is believed to be from Spain, not the North Pole. In Spain he spends most of the year recording the behaviour of all children in a big red book, while the Peters work on the presents. On November 15, 2009 he will arrive in the harbour of Amsterdam (near the Central Station) on a steamship, before parading through the centre of Amsterdam.
The actual feast of Sinterklaas is on December 5, 2009 but in the weeks leading up to the feast there’s a big chance you’ll bump into Sinterklaas, or one of the Peters, when you visit Amsterdam. If you’ve been a good boy or girl you might even get some candy! If you’re not one of those lucky few, then you can always buy some of the delicious treats in stores during Sinterklaas time ‐ like marzipan, gingerbread cookies, meringues, fudge and chocolate letters. If you try one of the following events first, you might just build up an appetite that justifies such gluttony.
The Cannabis Cup
During the Cannabis Cup visitors are exposed to a large variety of Marijuana which they can then help to judge. A team of V.I.P judges decide which seed company brought the best Marijuana, while the judges from the public decide on the best new product, the best hash and best Nederhash! The 22nd Cannabis Cup will run from November 22 until November 26, 2009. Pre‐registration to be a judge starts on November 19 and 20, 2009. If you register early you avoid the long lines that form on opening day and you get a head start on the coffee shop crawl! All registration takes place at The Powerzone.
CHOCA
CHOCA is the Dutch Chocolate festival and runs from November 7 until November 22, 2009. Amsterdam and Chocolate have a relationship that goes way back, and chocolate has been served in coffee houses since 1660. Nowadays Amsterdam is the biggest Cocoa harbour in the world with many CHOCA galleries, shops, bars and restaurants demonstrating the art of chocolate through tours, workshops, exhibits, massages and of course ‐ tasting sessions.
IDFA
The IDFA is a ten day, annual festival during which more than 250 documentaries are shown. It shows international documentaries, a great variety of genres and presents many European, and world premieres. The IDFA's documentaries always get people talking so it's not surprising that after parties, talk shows and debates thrive alongside the festival.
Museum Night
One night a year (November 7, 2009) 42 museums in Amsterdam open their doors from 19:00 to 02:00, and organise special workshops, concerts, tours, performances and tasty treats too. Among the participating museums are some of Amsterdam’s most famous ‐ like the Van Gogh, the Rijksmuseum and the Anne Frank House. Museum Night tickets include entry to all participating museums and after parties, along with free transportation on special trams and boats. Your ticket also entitles you to free entry to one of the participating museums, on a different day.
‐ Eva Dam
