This spring is the time to go out and enjoy everything The Hague has to offer; from SummerFest, to festivals, markets and more. There are many activities on the agenda to discover the best of the city centre, with plenty of offers, both indoors and outdoors.
During a day in The Hague you can make the perfect combination of shopping, culture, good food and drinks with the added bonus of a versatile events calendar. The days off in spring are ideal for going out, such as during Easter, King’s Day and Liberation Day. Come during Ascension Day for the summery SummerFest or enjoy the city centre of The Hague during the long Pentecost weekend.
SummerFest (29 May)
Summer, fashion, music and lots of fun; put it in your agenda already as during the Ascension weekend you can enjoy a visit the city centre of The Hague. With SummerFest you will experience a unique mix of cheerful sounds, stylish shopping, great entertainment and a varied range of delicious food and drinks for four days. Enjoy live music, surprising performances and acts that will bring you into a summer mood – from friendly street musicians to rousing DJs.
“SummerFest is a fresh twist on the Shopping Night concept, which has been much more than just shopping for years. The event brings summer vibes, surprising activities, music and fashion shows to the city centre and offers something for everyone, this year even bigger and more extensive than before. The full agenda will be announced later, so keep an eye on our channels,” says Diana Boer of Binnenstadsmanagent Den Haag.
Easter weekend
From 18 to 21 April, you can stroll through the cozy Easter markets in the city center. At the Home Made Easter Market you can enjoy live music, a 100-year-old swing carousel and a unique variety of crafts with the whole family. At the Easter Market The Hague there are almost 100 stalls with art, accessories, antique curiosities and more.
Brocante and antiques
If you can’t get enough of antiques, old books, prints, paintings and art objects, visit the weekly Hague Antique and Book Market on Thursdays (until April 24) or Sundays (from May 2).
On 24 and 25 May, the Hague Montmartre will take place, the art, brocante, lifestyle and vintage fair of The Hague where you will feel like you are in the beautiful Montmartre of Paris. Another market with a dreamy French atmosphere is Le Marie Marché . Here you can buy everything from delicacies such as dried sausage and strawberry jam to beautiful jewelry and decoration. This market is there every first weekend of the month and on a number of holidays.
Art and high tea
For art lovers, the annual inflatable art expo is from May 10th to June 11th; this time called BlowUp Art x Pulchri Studio . This fourth edition of BlowUp Art will once again take place in the heart of The Hague, the Museum Quarter.
This year, the temporary exhibition brings an exciting mix of surprising inflatable art by John Körmeling, Kiki and Joost, Eugenie Boon, Piet Warffemius and Fransje Killaars. These can be admired at the Lange Voorhout and starts at the same time as the contemporary art exhibition Voorhout Monumentaal .
Coinciding with the opening weekend of BlowUp Art x Pulchri Studio , De Passage celebrates its 140th anniversary with a high tea on Sunday 11 May. Enjoy the most delicious treats and diverse entertainment in the oldest shopping arcade in the Netherlands together with mayor Jan van Zanen (order your tickets here ).
Sports and music
Want to let loose? Visit the live music festivals The Life I Live on King’s Night (25 April) or the Liberation Festival (5 May). On 23 and 24 May, visitors can enjoy the explosive music festival Sniester , where more than 100 bands perform on and around the Grote Markt and pop venue Paard.
For sports enthusiasts, the Hofvijver Regatta will take place again this year. On May 31, the best amateur rowers from the region will compete against each other board-to-board for charity on a 200-meter long course in the Hofvijver.
For more information about The Hague city centre in spring and all events, click here .
Dutch Text: The Hague & Partners. English translation: The Hague Online
Featured photo: Binnenstadsmanagent Den Haag