Festivals in Wageningen

Wageningen Blues City Weekend

Each year during a weekend in January or Febuary a large number of bars in Wageningen invite blues musicians to come and play. All participating Cafés are situated within walking distance of each other, and access to all the blues performances is free.

Wageningen University's Dies Natalis

On the 7th of March the University commemorates it's anniversary with a Dies Natalis ceremony. The Dies Natalis ceremony consist of several lectures combined with a musical interlude.

Remembrance Day and National Liberation Day

In the evening of May 4 the Dutch commemorate the deaths of all Dutch civilians and members of the armed forced who have died in service to their country since World War 2. On May 5th the Dutch celebrate Liberation Day. This day in 1945 officially marked the ending of World War 2 in the Netherlands.

There are ceremonies and festivities all over the Netherlands during these two days, but the commemorations and festivities in Wageningen stand out because the German general Blaskowitz and the Canadian general Charles Foulkes negotiated the German terms of surrender in Hotel de Wereld, ending the Second World War in the Netherlands. 

Belmondo Festival

Every two year in the first week of June Wageningen offers an international festival where international and local artists perform in the Belmonte Arboretum. It is both an cultural and musical event, a great opportunity to see and taste the cultural heritage of different countries.

Art Market

Each year during the first Saturday in June Wageningen hosts an art market where local artists get an oppertunity to display their work. The art market has been organised for the past 40 years and is quite large. Entrance to the market is free.

LEEFfestival

The LEEF festival is organised each third Saturday in June. During the LEEFfestival Wageningen's city centre becomes the stage for music, dance and street theatre.

Opening of the academic year

The academic year is officially opened with an opening ceremony on the first Monday of September each year. Several speakers give a speech which is related to the theme of that year. The opening of the academic year is often combined with a symposium surrounding the same theme.

Second Saturday in September: Open Monument Day

Open Monument Day is an event during which a large number of Dutch National Monuments are opened to the public. A lot of Wageningen's monuments are freely accessible to the public as well. Some locations also offer guided tours, or musical performances.

Popronde

is the largest itinerant festival in the Netherlands with free performances in pubs, restaurants, theaters and libraries. It is a festival where relatively new talent can show itself to the public. The Popronde festival is the 1st Thursday of October every year.

Arrival of Sinterklaas in Wageningen's harbour

Sinterklaas is celebrated all over the Netherlands. On the third Saturday in November he arrives in Wageningen by ship. Upon landing, rides on a white horse through the city centre in a festive parade.