Amsterdam Weekend Guide (15-17 March)
Spring is just around the corner, but that's not to be seen in the weather just yet. Beat the gloomy weather blues with an exciting new exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum, a musical picnic at the Muziekgebouw, or an evening of wine and oysters at a concept bar.
ART & EXHIBITIONS
Marina Abramović
Discover the world of Marina Abramović at the Stedelijk Museum’s newest exhibit. Pioneering and fiercely radical, Abramović’s performance and body art have forever changed the landscape of art and revolutionised how we perceive the role of the artist. Stedelijk will showcase 60 pivotal works spanning five decades, tracing the evolution of Abramović’s remarkable career. The performance will include artists trained in the Abramovic method to perform her iconic immaterial works.
Marina Abramović | 16 March–14 July | Stedelijk Museum
Bearing Witness
Amsterdam's Posthoornkerk will transform into a photography exhibition as Pulitzer Prize winner Muhammed Muheisen and Howard G. Buffett unveil their collection "Bearing Witness." This exhibition will feature images from photojournalists brought together across 30 countries over three decades. These photos tell sweeping tales of loss, suffering and resilience amid political upheaval and violence – the stories of those caught in between – and intend to give a voice to those often left voiceless, documenting the endurance of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable difficulty.
Bearing Witness | 9–20 March | Posthoornkerk
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Maslyana: Ukrainian Food Festival
Maslyana will take over the Thomas Kerk in Zuid this weekend, celebrating all things Ukrainian cuisine. In the Ukrainian calendar, Maslyana is a week-long festival of food and entertainment to celebrate the end of winter. Bringing this tradition to the Netherlands, the Ukrainian food festival will feature varenyky (dumplings), crepes, borscht, and much more. Come watch live pancake-making sessions, get involved in a dumpling masterclass and take home some authentic recipes to try at home.
Ukrainian Food Festival Maslyana | Friday 15 – Saturday 16 March | Thomas Kerk
JazzFest Amsterdam
JazzFest Amsterdam brings soulful sounds to the Indische Buurt to showcase the city's diverse jazz scene. Featuring talented musicians like Dutch saxophonist Jasper Blom and the Catalan Joan Fort Trio with Simon Rigter, the festival promises surprising combinations across multiple stages and an unmissable evening for jazz aficionados and newbies alike.
JazzFest Amsterdam | Saturday 16 March | multiple locations
FILM & THEATRE
Roze Filmdagen
Het Ketelhuis hosts Roze Filmdagen, the largest LGBTQI+ film festival in the Netherlands, with an expansive program of arthouse feature films, documentaries, and short films. This weekend, catch stories of love, identity, and acceptance in an LGBTQI+ context, with a host of international films such as Glitter & Doom, a musical romance from the United States, or The Trace of Your Lips, an erotically charged drama from Mexico.
Roze Filmdagen | multiple locations
CONCERTS & GIGS
Sunday Sounds
Discover Sunday Sounds, a musical picnic held three times yearly in the Muziekgebouw's contemporary entrance hall. This event brings music lovers together for short performances in a relaxed atmosphere, with a program that features cello, percussion, piano, and vocals from a new generation of musicians. Sunday Sounds is the perfect way to spend an afternoon immersed in music – a BYO picnic basket is essential.
Sunday Sounds | Sunday 17 March 12:00–13:20 | Muziekgebouw
CLUBBING & NIGHTLIFE
Boshuis at BRET
Haarlem-born house music label Boshuis will take to BRET this Saturday for an all-night house and techno party. The iconic red bunker in Sloterdijk will host the label’s founding DJ, Silvester Gelderblom, and Luna Ludmilla, who is set to play at Loveland van Oranje festival later this year. Catch this note-worthy line-up in BRET’s intimate atmosphere.
Boshuis | 16 March 22:00 – 05:00 | BRET
RESTAURANTS & BARS
Rayleigh & Ramsay
With locations in Westerpark and De Pijp, Rayleigh & Ramsay is a novel concept for a wine bar, with a selection of over 100 different wines available on tap. Choose a sip, half a glass, or a full glass of any bottle that strikes your fancy. This weekend, Rayleigh & Ramsay Westerpark hosts a tasting of wines from the French vineyard Domaine de Marotte, together with Daan van Dijkman, who runs the estate on the slopes of Mont Ventoux. Taste eight different wines, accompanied by oysters, cheese, and, of course, a generous platter of charcuterie, all for the sensible price of €35 per head.
Rayleigh & Ramsey Westerpark | Saturday 16 March, 16:00 | Van Noordtstraat 28
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