Sand Sculpture Festival
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Sand Sculpture Festival

Are you good with a bucket and spade? This years Sand Sculpture Festival has started and is free for anyone to see the artists work in progress and the final results until the end of October.  This year the theme is, 'Amsterdam Icons.' This…
Cirque Éloize
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World top circus Cirque Éloize back in Carré

"Rarely, or perhaps never, was there such an overwhelming, high-quality artistic circus show in the Netherlands." Praise in the press and the public last summer, when the 15 top young artists of Cirque Éloize finally landed in the Netherlands…
Haarlem Picnic
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What are you doing tomorrow?

Tomorrow and every Wednesday till the 3rd August, the Haarlemmerhout Park is to be transformed by local artists and musicians into a summery creative picnic! That's right! A picnic full of artists, music and theater productions. Come…
The basilisks strike again
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Presentation English edition Haarlem Comic Book “The basilisks strike again”

The Friends of the Great or St.-Bavo’s Church in Haarlem are pleased to present the English edition of the comic book “The basilisks strike again” on Thursday, 21 July 2016, at 20.00 h. in the lounge of Stempels Hotel and Restaurant, Klokhuisplein…
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Ten + one uplifting songs to make you feel better about almost everything

So Dutch summer weather is getting you down huh? Still so many days till your well-deserved vacation? Those great looking high heels you got from Zalando are killing your feet, your boss is an ass and you just can't take it any longer? Here…
Review musical Pippin in Theater Carré Amsterdam
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Review musical Pippin in Theater Carré Amsterdam

I haven't seen that many musicals on stage even tough I am a big fan of movie musicals (from Mamma Mia to Cabaret), so when I found out that I won the expatsHaarlem contest to go and see Pippin at the Koninklijk Theater Carré in Amsterdam I…
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Why You Should Never Live in Haarlem Part II

Because no one listened to my reasons why you should never live in Haarlem Part I ; here is another list why you should never live in Haarlem. You have been warned!   Why You Should Never EVER Live in Haarlem.   There is…
Stripdagen
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A Comic Strip Bonanza!

Stripdagen Haarlem is a biennial comic strip festival in the center of Haarlem. The festival consists of lots of free exhibitions, various comic strip fairs, talks, concerts, film showings, musical performances and children’s activities. When…
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Challenges of Expats – Interview of the Month with Deborah Valentine

When moving to a new country, the most common challenges are usually related to  integration and languages.  Those questions are always part of my monthly interviews with expats, so their personal stories and advice can help you. This month…
Kleverpark Festival
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Kleverpark Festival 2016

The 32nd edition of the Kleverpark Festival is upon us and even more fun, more surprising, more exciting, more comprehensive and instructive than previous years. Kleverparkweg, Schotersingel and Van Ostadestraat and Kleverpark change…
Seinfestijn
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Seinfestijn: A food & lifestyle market in the heart of Haarlem.

Immerse yourself in the cozy, casual atmosphere of this small festival and get pampered with delicious food, inspiration for your home and find fun and original gifts for the people around you and of course for yourself.  The Seinfestijn…
Dutch
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How to be a Dutch person.

You're new to The Netherlands and you want to blend in. This is how you do it! 20 Steps On How To Be Dutch. Get yourself a bicycle and break every single rule of the road. Everyone will know you're a foreigner if you wait at traffic lights. …
Liberation
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A Liberation Pop Festival!

It is that time of the year when Haarlem turns into one huge music concert in celebration of freedom.   Bevrijdingspop! (Liberation Pop Festival) On Thursday 5th May, Haarlem hosts the oldest and biggest liberation pop festival in…
Liberation Day (Photo: Melanie Caitlin)
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4th & 5th May: Remembrance Day and Liberation Day

The Netherlands is unique among the other European countries in having two national ceremony days originating from the Second World War: Remembrance Day – ‘Dodenherdenking’ and Liberation Day – ‘Bevrijdingsdag’. On 4th May, Dutch…
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Have You Tried These Dutch Foods?

You're in The Netherlands and you want to eat like a true Dutch person. Then pull up your chair, get your napkin ready, swig a glass of milk and start chewing on your Stamppot! Here is a list of traditional Dutch food that you may want to try.   Traditional…
Prince (Foto: Nu.nl)
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What Prince Taught us about Defying Labels

More celebration than mourning I'm not typically much of a celebrity fan, which is why I’ve been surprised at just how rattled I’ve felt since hearing about Prince’s death. I can't think of many other passings that would bring me into…
international school
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International School Haarlem Survey

Should there be an international school in Haarlem?. The Haarlem City Council wants to hear your opinion. Let hear your voice and fill out our short online survey. As you perhaps know Haarlem doesn’t currently have an international…
King's Day
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King's Day

King's day is just round the corner, this is when the whole country dig deep into their wardrobes to find their bright orange clothes and get all the Dutch flags out for a huge and merry party on 27th April. But what is King's Day? Koningsdag…
Teylers Museum
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Teylers Museum Is A Unique Haarlem Treasure

When you enter Teylers Museum, you get the feeling you’ve stepped back in time. At the Teylers Museum, art and science come together with a hint of magic. It's not a museum for the modern age, but it is a museum for the modern imagination. The…
BROADWAY MUSICAL PIPPIN
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Broadway musical Pippin is coming to Amsterdam with a full American cast

The Tony Award winning hit musical with full American cast. Direct from Broadway to Amsterdam from March 9 till April 10. More info and trailer below. We happen to have two tickets for this spectacle. Like the expatsHaarlem Facebook page and…
Tulip
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National Tulip Day Celebrations in Amsterdam

The past week has been the most "wintery" of the season in the Netherlands, and yet spring is already a twinkle in a Dutchman's eye. The third Saturday of the new year is National Tulip Day, or Nationale Tulpendag. I still…
Blogger
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The Hague to open bloggers house to promote the city

This coming summer season The Hague  will open a beach house exclusively for Dutch and international travel bloggers and vloggers. It is the first city in the Netherlands to make a building available to writers as a way of promoting the city.…
David Bowie
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Legendary artist David Bowie dead aged 69

Singer David Bowie, one of the most influential musicians of his era, has died after of cancer at the age of 69. A statement was issued on his social media accounts, saying he "died peacefully, surrounded by his family" after an "18-month…
ToneelgroepAmsterdam
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Big Theater Deal Toneelgroep Amsterdam

Toneelgroep Amsterdam invites the international community in the Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam for 2 theater events: an introduction to Toneelgroep Amsterdam and its program and the play performance The hidden force for international audiences with…
holidays
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12 Powerful (and Inexpensive) Ways to Give Back This Holiday Season

We have all heard it before: the holidays are a time for giving, for selflessness and random acts of kindness. It feels good to give, not only for the recipient but for the giver as well; many scientific studies show giving, especially in the…
Sinterklaas
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Is Zwarte Piet an outdated Sinterklaas tradition?

It was a surprise that the culture shock around Zwarte Piet hit me, a Canadian and half-Dutchie, very hard. It was difficult not to be shocked and offended by what I recognize as a tradition of blackface. I always try to respect local cultures…
Eye Museum
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The EYE Museum, Amsterdam

Standing on the bank of the river IJ, across from Amsterdam Central station, the EYE Museum is an impressive piece of architecture. There is a fine balance between being impressive as a structure and being imposing, and the museum achieves…
Thanksgiving
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Happy Thanksgiving

Happy thanksgiving to all our readers! Thanksgiving Day is an annual national holiday in the United States and Canada and is a great time to be thankful and appreciate who you have and what you have. It is a time for families to meet, socialize…
Haarlem
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Haarlem 770 years!

Next Monday 23-11 exactly 770 years passed since Haarlem received municipal rights. The North Holland Archive celebrates this special occasion with all the inhabitants of Haarlem and in particular Haarlemmers who - like the city - celebrate…
Wonder Wander
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Exhibition i WONDER i WANDER today in De Lichtfabriek

De exhibition i WONDER i WANDER in De Lichtfabriek (the old the Light Factory) is part of Kunstlijn Haarlem. Themes of the exhibition are Alice in Wonderland and the big questions: Who are we? What is reality? The Light Factory is…