This is an absolute must-see
Every year at the end of August, there is a big cross in my calendar: it's time for the Parade in Amsterdam again. Now, it's almost impossible that you've never heard of this, but if that's the case: the Parade is actually a kind of combination of a small festival and a fair for adults that travels through Utrecht, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Amsterdam. After this list, I'm sure you'll mark a big cross in your calendar for the next two weeks, just like I will.
During the Parade, the focus is on performances that are played multiple times each evening in small circus tents. If you're not that culturally inclined: no worries, you certainly won't be faced with heavy content with incomprehensible texts and difficult metaphors. Do yourself a favor and at least visit one show. For those who don't feel like sifting through the entire program booklet: the performance by Alex Klaassen and Henry van Loon is an absolute must see and I'm sure you'll leave Hadewych Minis' show with one of her songs on repeat in your head.
- Don't have a good location for a party yet? The Parade is a great spot for that. You claim a big table, say that the first drink is on you, and everyone does their own thing. You don't have to provide any entertainment yourself (there are always awesome bands playing on the open stages), it saves a lot of mess at your home, and there are no neighbors complaining that the music needs to be turned down.
- You can indulge your culinary heart with all the delicious food stalls available. Every year, new spots pop up, but luckily there are also a few stalls that roll out the same successful formula every year. You can't leave the grounds without having baked a portion of poffertjes yourself, and Jon and I always run to the burrito bar first to share one as a start to the evening.
- A ride on the swing carousel has become a tradition at the Parade. And believe me: adults find this attraction even more fun than the kids. Moreover, this ride also produces incredibly Instagram-worthy photos. Tip: make sure you haven't eaten too much shortly beforehand, because it gets pretty intense...
- When I first saw this phenomenon, I sat there breathlessly for a while: a disco floor where everyone wears headphones and goes completely wild, but because you as a spectator can't hear any music, it looks quite strange. The Silent Disco is definitely worth a visit. It feels like you're part of a secret society, and everyone with headphones is your new best dance friend for the next ten minutes.
- During the day, the grounds are transformed into the Children's Parade. You can attend numerous children's performances, painting and crafting workshops, and a candy cart that I could only dream of as a child. If you have bad sleepers: after an afternoon of running around this area, your kids will definitely be asleep within a minute in the evening.
