Your party schedule will be orange-tinted this month, because King’s Day (27 April) is on its way. A day full of gezelligheid, delicious drinks and opportunities to dance, with more King’s Day festivals being hosted than you can shake a stick at. Some festivals are hosted close to home, while others will require some travelling, but hey, long live King Willem-Alexander and free travelling for students!
Kroon festival
Are you in the market for some beers with a real Rotterdam vibe on King Will’s birthday? In that case, there’s only one place to celebrate King’s Day, which is the Kroon Festival on Willemsplein, presented by Give Soul. A € 15 ticket will buy you a gorgeous and unique view of the Erasmus Bridge, as well as cheerful house beats by Alle Farben and the by now very well-known Sam Feldt (among other people). Tip for all single male students: according to the latest reports by the festival organisers, the majority of festival attendees will be female! ;-).
Kralingse Bos Festival
With no fewer than four stages, the Kralingse Bos Festival certainly belongs on a list of cool Rotterdam festivals. This festival comprises everything from techno and house to hip hop and R&B. Personally, I’d recommend seeking out the mega cool gigs given at the dagduik stage. For € 25, stars like Marcel Dettman, b2b, Ben Klock and Hendrik Schwartz will rock your socks off. If you feel like taking a stroll and exploring the rest of Kralingen Forest, I’d definitely check out the ever-chill Jazzy Jeff, or perhaps De-Likt, a band who are as mad as a hatter. I’ve ordered sunshine for you guys; it’s up to you now to enjoy plenty of beer and turn this into an unforgettable day out!
Nassau Festival (Amsterdam)
The Nassau Festival, held at Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium, is probably the most progressive King’s Day festival for house and techno in their purest forms. For € 29.50, you’ll be dancing to your favourite tunes. What is special about this festival is the highly varied organisations which will be contributing, each with their own unique stage: STRAF_WERK, Reaktor, THUMP and De Sluwe Vos. Since each of these organisations has its own sound, the Nassau Festival will offer a complete array of music styles, with a very powerful combination of happy house and mega hard dark techno. Which leaves us with one question, which is what the dress code will be like – not an easy question to answer, what with both Reaktor and STRAF_ WERK acts on stage. Will we be dressed in black or will we wear orange and carry red-white-and-blue flags?
Tip of the month: on King’s Day as well as on any other day (and perhaps more so than on most other days), be sure never to lose sight of your drink. Although this is a festive occasion, there will inevitably be malicious persons seeking to spike your drink with GHB or some other sedative drug, which may turn your fun day out into a complete nightmare.
Jeffrey Seij (19), Public Administration student at Erasmus University, loves to go to parties, festivals and everything related. With lots of enthusiasm, he shares his experiences in reviews and monthly, he gives party advice about the best events in Rotterdam.
