What's On in Amsterdam in October

📅 Thursday September 28th to Monday October 9th
Afrovibes is a multidisciplinary festival which presents work from promising and established African visual or performance artists. The festival is held at multiple locations in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague and Utrecht, and for its 14th edition will revolve around the theme of Fragile Freedom.
📍Various venues

📅 Friday October 6th to Sunday January 7th
Johan Maelwael was among the first Dutch painters to find employment within the Royal courts of Western Europe and created a highly influential body of work during the late 14th century. The Rijksmuseum will display a large collections of his paintings, illuminated manuscripts and other artworks in Amsterdam this Autumn, including Maelwael’s masterpiece La Grande Pieta Ronde.
Tickets: €17.50
📍The Rijksmuseum, Museumstraat 1, Amsterdam +31 020 674 7000

📅 Friday October 6th to Monday January 8th
From October until early 2018, four of Amsterdam’s most important historical institutes will honour Ferdinand Bol’s work by displaying his work and retracing his influence upon Dutch Golden Age artistry. Besides being a celebrated artist himself, Bol was also an avid collector and supported many other famous painters.
Tickets: Varies by exhibition
📍Various venues

📅 Saturday October 7th
Every year, over 100 rowing teams race through Amsterdam’s historic canal belt during de Grachtenrace. This 22km circuit runs from the northern part of Amsterdamse Bos through Amsterdam’s most iconic waterways and then back through to the south of the city.
Tickets: free
📍 The canals

📅 Tuesday October 3rd to Sunday October 8th
This large home and interior design fair takes place annually in Amsterdam’s RAI conference centre. The event attracts many leading names from the world of design and there’s always plenty on offer for discerning buyers.
Tickets: €16.50
📍 Amsterdam RAI, Europaplein 2-22, Amsterdam +31 20 549 1212

📅 Tuesday October 10th
The Dutch and Swedish national football teams will play at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff Arena this October. The match is part of the FIFA’s European qualifying rounds and will help to determine which teams will make it through to 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Tickets: €45
📍 Johan Cruyff Arena Arena Boulevard 1, Amsterdam +31 20 311 1333

📅 Wednesday October 11th
As part of their ongoing series covering the potential uses of tears, Mediamatic will hold a voluntary cry-a-thon where participants can donate their tears. Afterwards, two artists will transform these watery donations into a drinkable concoctions or crystallised artworks.
Tickets: free
📍 Mediamatic, Dijksgracht 6, Amsterdam +31 20 638 9901

📅 Thursday October 12th to Saturday October 14th
This year, Read My World international literary festival will focus on fiction, journalism and poetry originating from or related to Black USA. The festival is now in its 5th year and will take place in Amsterdam-Noord’s Tolhuistuin.
Tickets: €15
📍Tolhuistuin, IJpromenade 2, Amsterdam +31 20 763 0650

📅 Saturday, October 14th
The day before Amsterdam’s annual marathon, thousands of people participate in a series of citywide walks which trails past many famous landmarks. It is possible to take part as an indivdual or team during the event and the walks are divided into several categories relating to the main sights along their routes.
Tickets: varies by event
📍 Varies by route

📅 Saturday October 14th
To celebrate the 30th birthday of Amsterdam’s Homomonumen, Paradiso will organise a large party on October 14th. Although the events line up is still under development, the party will start at 23.00 and continue until the early morning.
Tickets: €12.50
📍 Paradiso, Weteringschans 6-8, Amsterdam +31 20 626 4521

Amsterdam’s yearly Marathon always takes place in mid-October and trails past several of the city’s most iconic sites, such as the Rijksmuseum, River Amstel and Olympic Stadium. There are several shorter routes available for runners if so desired.
📍 Varies by route

📅 Saturday October 13th to Wednesday January 17th
The Van Gogh Museum’s first winter exhibition will explore several historic Dutch artist’s fascination with Paris and present work created by figures who famously immigrated to the city including Vincent van Gogh, George Hendrik and Mondriaan.
Tickets: €17
📍 Van Gogh Museum, Museumplein 6, Amsterdam +31 20 570 5200

📅 Monday October 16th
Ben Bril was a world-renowned Jewish Dutch boxer who survived the Holocaust after being deported to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. To celebrate his legacy, a memorial boxing gala is held in his honour every year in Amsterdam’s prestigious Royal Carré Theater.
Tickets: from €25 to €75
📍 Koninklijk Theater Carré, Amstel 115 /125, Amsterdam +31 900 2525255

📅 Tuesday October 17th to Sunday October 22nd
Klik is an annual international animation festival which aims to increase the medium’s visibility whilst presenting innovative work from today’s most promising and successful animators. This year, Klik’s program will gravitate around ageing and maturity, but will also include films that deal with many other themes.
Tickets: €70
📍 The Eye Filmmuseum, IJpromenade 1, Amsterdam +31 20 589 1400

📅 Wednesday October 18th to Sunday October 22nd
At the end of October 2017, Dutch illusionist Hans Klok will be in town performing his magical extravaganza House of Horror. As its name suggests, the show isn’t for the faint hearted and involves many hair-raising tricks and sleight of hands.
Tickets: €54
📍 Koninklijk Theater Carré, Amstel 115 /125, Amsterdam +31 900 2525255

📅 Thursday October 19th to Sunday October 22nd
Amsterdam Dance Event is recognised as the largest EDM festival and convention in the world and takes place every year over a long weekend in October. Over 2,000 artists will perform at ADE this year at around 120 venues throughout Amsterdam.
Tickets: varies by event
📍 Venues throughout Amsterdam

📅 Saturday October 14th to Friday October 27th
This kid-orientated film and television festival at Westergasfabriek is the largest event of its kind in the world and regularly attracts over 50,000 attendees. Hundreds of children’s films will be screened at this year’s Cinekid alongside other fun family activities.
Tickets: TBC
📍 Westergasfabriek, Pazzanistraat 33, Amsterdam +31 20 586 0710

📅 Friday October 20th to Sunday March 25th
To commemorate Charlotte Salomon’s 100th birthday, the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam will hold a special exhibition dedicated to her life, work and legacy. Before being murdered in Auschwitz concentration camp, Salomon produced a vivid, visual journal she called Life? Or Theatre? which has since become incredibly influential. All 800 pages of this astounding book will be on display during the exhibition.
Tickets: €15
📍 Jewish Historical Museum, Nieuwe Amstelstraat 1, Amsterdam +31 20 531 0310

📅 Tuesday October 24th to Wednesday October 25th

Belgian choreographer Jan Martens and his company will perform this conceptual dance piece backed by music from American producer NAH in Stadsschouwburg theater this October. The performance delves into several diverse themes such as anxiety, rationality and beauty.
Tickets: €27.50
📍Stadsschouwburg, Leidseplein 26, Amsterdam +31 20 624 2311

📅 Friday October 27th to Sunday October 29th
Autumn in the Netherlands marks the beginning of the bokbier season and means that pubs throughout the country will start serving darker, heartier beers. PINT Bokbier Festival coincides with this autumnal shift and brings together scores of bokbier brewers and connoisseurs.
Tickets: €20
📍Beurs van Berlage, Damrak 243, Amsterdam +31 20 530 4141

📅 Friday October 27th to Tuesday 31st
Many spooky events will take place in Amsterdam the weekend before Halloween, including a massive yearly celebration in Westergasfabriek and a costume party at Tolhuistuin.
Tickets: varies by event
📍Venues throughout Amsterdam