What Is the Grachtenfestival?
Photo Courtesy of Grachtenfestival
The Grachtenfestival is one of Amsterdam's most unique annual events, and certainly a much-anticipated highlight of the summer festival calendar. The nine-day celebration of classical music and water used to center only around the city's grachten (canals), with performances on boats and in canal-side buildings. Today, these traditions continue in the city center, but the festival has expanded the list of performance venues in recent years to include many spaces along Amsterdam's more modern IJ harbor. The music itself has also evolved, including genres like rock and jazz to round out each year's theme.
The 2011 Grachtenfestival will run August 14-22. Tickets can be purchased online.
Something for Everyone
Photo Courtesy of Grachtenfestival
The way in which the program is presented makes the Grachtenfestival one of the world's most unique music festivals. There are musical workshops for children, private concerts for one person at a time, performances on the rooftops and in the gardens of local homeowners, and even architectural tours of the city's monumental buildings. The best part is that several performances are free!
Grachtenfestival Finale: Free Concert on a Canal
Photo Courtesy of Amsterdam Tourism & Convention Board
This is one of the many free concerts of the festival, so be sure to secure a spot along the Prinsengracht streets or bridges by mid-afternoon for the evening event.