Events for October 2008
October marks the end of the official tourist season in Amsterdam. Queues to all the popular attractions are a little shorter and the price of flights and accommodation, reflect the turning weather.
Story Highlights
- Robodock Festival
- ING Amsterdam Marathon
- Bokbierfestival
- Amsterdam Dance Event
Robodock Festival October 2 - 5, 2008
Robodock is no ordinary exhibition of artwork. The sculptures on display are built from pieces of discarded junk and industrial scrap metal. Many of the exhibits are moving pieces of art - some spark with static electricity, some send huge fireballs rocketing into the sky and some rotate at dangerously high speeds - making gruesomely loud noises in the process!
For these reasons the Robodock Festival has amassed a cult following since its conception in 1998 and in recent years it's found a new home on the NDSM dock, behind Central Station. Each year the scale and quality of the festival increases, and the use of recycled materials continues to form an important topic for political and social debate. Needless to say Robodock this year will be more significant and popular than ever.
The best way to get to Robodock is to catch the ferry that leaves the quayside behind Central Station, twice an hour. A crossing to the NDSM dock will take 10 minutes. Alternatively you can take bus 35 toward Molenwijk and get off at Atatürk. Or take bus 38 or 94 toward Zaandam and jump out at Klaprozenweg.
ING Amsterdam Marathon - October 19, 2008
The 33rd ING Amsterdam Marathon is a major event in the diary of every decent long-distance runner in Europe. The course is the forth quickest in the world (largely due to the flat Dutch terrain) and over 20,000 runners assemble at the start line every year to push their bodies to the limit. Approximately 200,000 spectators crowd the streets and canals to cheer on the athletes, while a further 10,000 whoop and applaud from inside the Olympic Stadium - where the race starts and finishes.
The marathon course hugs the Amstel River and weaves around the famous canals before cutting through Museumplein, and then on into Vondelpark. There is also a half marathon, a 5km run and a one mile fun run in the morning - for the less athletic. All non-runners are advised to grab a bundle of strong beers and cheer mindlessly from one of the many bars that line the route.
Bokbierfestival (Bock Beer Festival) - October 23 25, 2008
The biggest ale festival in the Netherlands is a celebration of the local Dutch brew known as bock. Bock is a thick, dark, and heavy beer, and it is unquestionably the preferred tipple in all traditional Amsterdam bars. Visitors to the Bokbierfestival have the opportunity to taste over 50 seasonal variations of bock - comparing beverages produced by the best local brewers to those manufactured by major breweries like Heineken. It makes good sense to remind visitors to the Bokbierfestival that most, if not all variations of Bock, have very high levels of alcohol!
The event is staged in the heart of Amsterdam in the Beurs van Berlage - building 277 on the Damrak. This is the wide street that links Central Station to Dam Square.
Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) October 23 26, 2008
The 13th Amsterdam Dance Event will be the biggest yet. Nightclubs, concert halls, theatres, record stores and art galleries participate, booming out the finest electronic music that you will hear anywhere in the world. From Wednesday to Sunday 400 of the planet's finest DJs converge on Amsterdam and play 40 different venues - including Club 8, Club NL, Escape, Melkweg, Sugar Factory, Studio 80 and the Winston Kingdom.
I advise everyone to pay special attention to techno DJs Alexander Robotnick, Dave Clarke, Richie Hawtin, Steve Bug, Sven Väth, and Trentemøller - who have all signed up to contribute special sets! Other artists partaking include the Artful Dodger, David Guetta, Erick Morillo, Fedde le Grand, Paul van Dyk and Sander Kleinenberg. In other words the crème-de-la-crème of the electronica movement.
Within knowledgeable circles the ADE is regarded as the most important electronic dance festival of the year. In addition to all the full on partying, ADE also incorporates a 10 hour seminar - offering young producers and DJs the opportunity to get up close and personal with the latest, cutting edge production technology. It's also a great chance to mooch around with some of the most prevalent movers and shakers in the dance scene. The seminar is held on Saturday 25 October and spaces are limited so book your tickets now - through the ADE website!
- Johnny
