Amsterdam: ''Open air theatre in the Amsterdamse Bos''

Mid Summer Night Dream
If you would like to experience a real theatre show of William Shakespeare in an open air theatre, you have to visit the Amsterdamse Bos.
You can bring your own blanket and picknick basket with wine and nice bites and you can have a wonderfull night in the wood of Amsterdam.

Text: William Shakespeare
Première: 6 July 2007 shows 3 July till 8 September 2007(not on Sunday and Monday)
Location: air theatre of the Amsterdamse Bos
Time: 21.30

More info: website

Keywords: amsterdam

Amsterdam: '' The Uitmarkt ''

Uitmarkt Cultural Festival The Uitmarkt festival, defined as the opening of the cultural season, attracts over half a million cultural enthusiasts each year. The festival takes place from 24 – 26 August 2007 for the first time at the Amsterdamse Oostelijk Havengebied (Eastern Harbour area). The new surroundings offer a unique combination of water, architecture and culture. Performances will be held in various locations including: Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Bimhuis, Fifteen, Pakhuis de Zwijger, Pakhuis Wilhelmina, Panama, Lloyd Hotel Koffiehuis KHL and the Theaterfabriek. The Oosterdok (docklands) will also be part of the Uitmarkt event terrain. Traditional events which will once again form a part of Uitmarkt 2007 include: The Remix for youth, the Amsterdam Book Market, the Literary Salon, a theatrical programme by de Verleiding and the Information Market, where cultural centres present their programme for the upcoming season. The festival showcases everything from pop to opera and all performances are free. The full programme will be announced at the beginning of August. The Uitmarkt festival is organised by the Amsterdams Uitburo (Cultural ticket centre).
View Source: http://www.uitmarkt.nl

Keywords: amsterdam

Amsterdam: '' Open Air Filmfestival: Pluk de Nacht''

The fourth edition of the Open Air Film Festival Amsterdam will take place from August 9 till August 19th under a beautiful starry sky. Every day one can enjoy the best films that haven’t been screened in the Dutch cinemas. We have a superb film programme, interesting art projects, a cosy bar, comfortable beach-chairs and bon fires. Free entry for everyone!

Programme
All movies have successfully been screened on film festivals internationally, nevertheless the cinemas in Holland didn’t screen them. This year we screen more films than ever, with films originated in Iceland, South Africa, Ireland, Austria, Sweden, UK, Holland and Swiss.

Art and caravans
This year we surprise you with an open air art exhibition. Four caravans have been rebuilt by several artists. Inside you can discover and enjoy remarkable installations, photos and other artistic forms.

Disco and DJ
Every night, after the screening of the film, one can enjoy the tunes of our deejays. Soon will be announced which dj’s will make you want to move. Keep an eye out for the online DJ programme.

Festival tour
The Open Air Film Festival Amsterdam will go on tour this year with a part of the programme. We will keep you informed on our website.

Screening times
The location with its exhibition, bar and restaurant will be open daily from 18h00. As soon as it starts to get dark we start screening the short films. When the sun has left us for the rest of the night we start screening the feature film.

Bites and drinks
We will have a well stocked bar (sorry no spirits) and the Pizza Laboratory will bake yummy pizza’s to fill your tummy during the festival.

Beach-chairs
Reservations are not necessary but if you want to secure one of our 500 beach-chairs make sure you arrive at the festival before 20h30.

Bon fires and blankets
We will keep you warm by lighting camp-fires on site and by renting out blankets for a little money.

Parking and public transport
We don’t have parking space for cars available at the festival but click here if you would like to know how to get to the location.

Bad weather
The show will go on! If the weather lets us down we move inside to the cinema in the dome.

Subtitles
All our films are English spoken or English subtitled.

Tickets
The Open Air Film festival Amsterdam is free of entry. Queuing up to buy a ticket is not necessary!

Keywords: amsterdam

Amsterdam: ''Hartjesdagen''

Throughout the weekend of 18 and 19 August 2007, you'll find something distinctly fishy going on around the Zeedijk, in the heart of Amsterdam. Hartjesdagen is a festival for the people that delights in turning gender on its head.
It’s a late summer weekend, and you’re strolling along the Zeedijk. Out of the corner of your eye, you see a ‘lady’—strapping shouldered, lantern jawed, and with distinctly hairy legs—dashing into one of the many bars that line the street. And another. ‘Fair enough,’ you think—after all, colourful characters are what give this neighbourhood on the fringes of the Red Light District its rich heritage. Then you glance into another bar, and see that it’s staffed by a girl with more facial fuzz than Tom Selleck, and that her six-foot four colleague’s impressive embonpoint appears to be made from two pink balloons.

Welcome to Hartjesdag—‘hearts’ day’—the festival where the Lords of Misrule take over and declare that gender must be turned on its head, so that girls will be boys and boys will be girls for an entire weekend.

Ancient Origins
The origins of the festival are hazy—which may well have something to do with the beer-drinking contests which took place at earlier incarnations of festivals. It probably stems back to a hunting festival called ‘harts' day’, when, on the third Monday in August, the common people had an annual right to stalk and roast deer, presumably with much mead consumed. Somewhere along the line it turned into the boozy free-for-all that it remains to this day.

Dressing Up
Just how this mutated into an excuse for every node on the Kinsey Scale to doll-up in drag and clatter along the Zeedijk in heels or fake beard is again something that’s not certain; one version of events claims that cross-dressing was an outpouring of the feelings of freedom that came from the hunt for the hart. Another one says that people were so poor that they had no money for fancy dress, so just swapped clothes with the opposite sex and: voila! Instant costumes!

Working Class Fun
The celebrations always took place in working-class parts of town: the Jordaan and Haarlemmerplein were also popular spots, but by the 19th century, festivities centred on the rough-and-tumble sailors’ district (where it was adopted with gusto by Amsterdam’s burgeoning gay scene, which met there, particularly at Café ‘t Mandje). The festival thrived until the Nazi occupiers expressly forbade Hartjesdag in 1943, and it seemed it was gone for good.

A Colourful Rebirth
It wasn't until 1997 that a group of bar and café-owners on the street decided it was time to reinstate the gender bending fun to its proper place, and declare the Zeedjk (a place that had developed a bit of a grubby reputation) an official fun zone again. It moved to the third weekend in August (more time to drink, more time to recover and to try and take off the blusher before heading to the office) where it’s been going from strength to strength for a decade.

2007
This year, there are stages dotted all around the area on both Saturday and Sunday. Highlights include a parade of all the cross-dressers (who assemble at Podium Prins Hendrikkade 15.30, departing 16.00), followed by the crowning of the Queen of Hartjesdag (Sunday, 19.00, Podium Prins Hendrikkade). Go on: unleash your inner drag king or queen!

Additional Information
When: 18/19 August 2007
Where: Zeedijk, Amsterdam
website:

Keywords: amsterdam

Amsterdam: ''Unique Amsterdam design walking tour September 2007''

Together with the Amsterdam Design foundation, Like-a-local is organizing a unique designwalking tour to be experienced all throughout the month of September 2007.
When it comes to design, Amsterdam always offers new territories to explore, as this unique walking tour will try and demonstrate.
You will enjoy your own personal guide who also happens to be a local expert in the field of design.
Under the creative guidance of this personal local you will not only (re)discover the world known established professionals of ‘Dutch Design’ but you will also get to know some of the
hidden treasures and tomorrow’s talents of the capital of design that is Amsterdam.
This tour is not only designed to attract design specialists but is also a lot of fun for those who have (until now) not shown a particular interest in the matter!
A bona fide breeding ground for creativity, and a home to numerous design centres such as Droog Design and the new Westerhuis by Marcel Wanders, Amsterdam is without a doubt
one of the leading design capitals of Europe. Amsterdam Design, held from 1 to 30 September 2007, provides visitors with the opportunity to experience the wealth of design
this city has to offer. The fourth edition once again offers a wide variety of large and smaller scale events. Lesser-known designers will be featured in shops, galleries, hotels,
restaurants, clubs and unexpected locations across the city.

More information: www.amsterdamdesign.info
Like-a-local offers the alternative to tour-guide tourism.
You get in contact with city residents who have made it their hobby to introduce travellers to their own favourite
restaurants or activities.
Visit the website www.like-a-local.com to view the wide range of local activities in the following three themes: LIVE!, GO! And EAT! in the world’s largest capitals.
Everyone can book this tour via e-mail: booking@like-a-local.com or via phone number: 020-5301460.
Price: € 75,- per person (2 persons) including entrance fees.
Meeting point: Espressobar Puccini, Staalstraat 21 Amsterdam
Duration: 3 hours

Keywords: amsterdam

Barcelona: "La Festa Grácia!"

La Festa Grácia!

The festival ''La Festa Grácia!'' will be in Barcelona in one of the most famous parts of the city, called the Grácia. The festival is from the 15th of August until the 21st of August.
It implies that all the streets of the Grácia are decorated with the craziest things. The inhabitants of Barcelona can win a price for the most beautiful street decoration. There will be music and podia everywhere and of course a lot of crash, sound, and alcohol for everybody.
It is certainly worth it to visit the Grácia in this week.
Check for more info:''La Festa Grácia!''

Keywords: barcelona

Amsterdam: ''The Parade 2007''

In the manner of a travelling fair or circus, De Parade has been criss-crossing the Netherlands and abroad for the past 17 years. Its colourful troupe makes itself at home in the best parks and squares the city has to offer. From 3 until 19 August De Parade is amidst the green surroundings of the Martin Luther Kingpark in Amsterdam, showcasing some of the most original, creative and impressive talent from theatre troupes throughout the country and beyond.

This colourful collection of theatre tents, fountains, a whirl-a-gig, and an array of international cuisine give De Parade festival the surreal twist of an old-fashioned fairground turned inside out - with the audience central and the action revolving around them.

What is there to expect? A lot! The public can choose from a selection of on-going, simultaneous performances, many produced especially for this event, varying from three minutes to an hour and repeated several times throughout the day. The range of options include musical revues, magic shows, slapstick, comedy, film and many other original forms of entertainment. From the light absurdic and musical performance Cruise Control of Benders & De Lathouder and the, in Holland already famous, Ashton Brothers with their mixture of cabaret, slapstick, rock & roll until Ad Visser who sings, plays en roars in F#ck the 70’s! And many many more!!
Many performances are in English or without language barriers. There is also an extensive children's parade.

Opening Hours: Sun-Thur 15.00-01.00, Fri, Sat 15.00-02.00
Cost: €6 + variable performance costs

More Information:
Mobile Arts
Weverssingel 36
3811 GK Amersfoort
Tel: +31 (0)33 465 45 55
Fax: +31 (0)33 465 62 46
E-mail: info@deparade.nl
Website: www.deparade.nl
Location: Martin Luther Kingpark

Flo Vos

Keywords: amsterdam