August has arrived! Want to know what the new month has in store? Here are six things expats living and working in the Netherlands need to know about in August 2023.
While the summer season is still in full swing (not that you’d know it looking at the Dutch weather), schools across the Netherlands will be reopening their doors after the summer holidays later this month. Kids who go to school in the Central or South regions will be returning to classes on August 21 and August 28 respectively.
If August is here, it can mean only one thing: the canal Pride parade is right around the corner. While Queer & Pride Amsterdam kicked off on July 22, Amsterdam Pride week officially starts on August 1, with the parade through the city’s canals taking place on Saturday, August 5.
With the next general election fast approaching following the collapse of Rutte IV last month, the Dutch political parties are hard at work to put together their new party manifestos. The past few weeks have also seen a number of party leaders step down, meaning there are quite a few high-profile jobs that are yet to be filled.
One such position is that of caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who has decided to take a step back from politics and resign from his position as leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). The party is set to elect its next leader in an election between August 21 and 27.
August is a big month for festivals, and easily one of the biggest names in the Dutch festival calendar is Loveland, which returns to the Dutch capital this month. On August 12 and 13, the major dance music festival once again takes over Sloterpark - and the good news is that there are still a couple of tickets left!
Another of the Netherlands' most famous festivals, Lowlands, is also taking place later this month. Between August 18 and 20, hundreds of acts will take to the various stages at this three-day festival, taking place on the grounds of Walibi Holland - one of the biggest Dutch theme parks.
At the end of August, the Dutch coastal town of Zandvoort will once again be taken over by the F1 world for the Zandvoort Grand Prix. Will Max Verstappen be able to hold on to his winning streak and cross the finish line first (on home soil) for the third year in a row?
And last but not least, August is a good month for any avid stargazers out there: not only do the Alpha Capricornids and Delta Aquariids continue into this month, but August 12 to 13 also brings the peak of the Perseids meteor shower, when you stand the chance of seeing up to 100 meteors an hour!
Thumb: 8H via Shutterstock.com.