Thursday September 24, 2026
Good morning, The Hague. Today: a new statue honours club legend Lex Schoenmaker at the ADO stadium, the Literatuurmuseum acquires the original Dikkie Dik archive, and the city defends three squirrel rope bridges across busy roads.
The activities listed below are just a curated sample of what’s going on in The Hague. Check out our completely redesigned events calendar here.
At a glance
🌦️ Weather: Hi 19°C / 66°F (2° cooler than yesterday) · Lo 15°C / 60°F · 2% chance of rain · wind N 19 km/h (10 knots)
🚲 Cycling: Mostly fine, a shower is possible.
🌙 Sun & moon: Sunrise 07:31 · Sunset 19:36 · Waxing Gibbous · Moonrise 18:46 · Golden hour 19:06 to 19:36
🌊 Outdoors: Air quality fair (AQI 23) · grass pollen low
💶 Markets: AEX 1,108 (+0.5%) · S&P 500 7,713 (-0.7%) · €1 = $1.14 · $1 = €0.88
Leyweg shopping centre hosts free cultural festival: Winkelcentrum Leyweg will fill with live performances and creative workshops on 26 September. The afternoon event is free to attend and open to the public.
Literatuurmuseum acquires original Dikkie Dik illustrations archive: Author and illustrator Jet Boeke has transferred her complete personal collection to the museum in The Hague. A selection of original drawings goes on public display from 22 September.
City defends three new squirrel rope bridges: The municipal executive has defended spending over 38,000 euros on three rope crossings near Scheveningse Bosjes. Opposition party Hart voor Den Haag had questioned the value of the investment.
Hotel status bypasses rental caps for student housing: The Social Hub charges students up to 1,200 euros a month under an exemption granted in 2012. City council members are now questioning whether the permit is legally sound.
Lex Schoenmaker statue unveiled at ADO stadium: A bronze figure of the former footballer now stands outside the club ground. It joins the existing statue of Aad Mansveld.
City removes traffic safety figures from Bierkade: Municipal workers removed two plastic child-shaped warning figures placed along the canal boarding point. Canal tour operator De Ooievaart warns the street is now less safe for crossing visitors.
Interactive family exhibits at Kinderboekenmuseum: Hands-on rooms let children wander through scenes from Dutch picture books and try out playful storytelling activities. 24 September, Literatuurmuseum/Kinderboekenmuseum. 📅 MUSEUM / EDUCATIONAL
Hermine Deurloo and Anton Goudsmit play ProJazz: Chromatic harmonica meets jazz guitar in the Loosduinen library, sharing original tunes and improvisations from their album. 24 September, 20:00 - 22:00, Bibliotheek Loosduinen. 📅 JAZZ / BLUES
Speechless tribute concert for composer Martijn Padding: Students and faculty assemble on stage to celebrate their longtime teacher's three decades in the conservatory. 24 September, Amare, Conservatoriumzaal. 📅 CLASSICAL
Concerts at the Internationaal Orgelfestival: Organists tackle centuries of repertoire on the Metzler organ alongside live video feeds of the console. 24 September, De Grote Kerk. 📅 CLASSICAL
Folk rock and indie pop at Paardcafé: Psychedelic folk tunes meet quirky Dutch indie pop on the café stage, without an entrance fee. 24 September, 21:00, Paardcafé, Paard. 📅 POP / ROCK
Lyatoshynsky Trio performs Classical NOW! - TO ALL IN LOVE: Visiting players from Vienna present three acts covering works by Schönberg, Berg, Shalygin, and Lyatoshinsky, including solo piano pieces. 24 September, Paleiskerk. 📅 CLASSICAL
Het Danspaleis vintage afternoon dance party: Seniors gather for ninety minutes of dancing and reminiscing as a DJ spins requested old favourites. 24 September, 14:00, Musicon. 📅 DANCE / PERFORMANCE
Father Futureback opens a monthly exhibition at PIP Café: A casual opening night introduces the culture club's newest resident artist and visual work hung over the bar. 24 September, 20:00 - 22:00, PIP Café. 📅 ART / MUSEUMS
Psychologist Karina Damen Herrera on cross-cultural romance: A free discussion on culture shock, emotional hurdles of migration, and dating across different backgrounds in the Netherlands. 24 September, 15:30 - 16:30, Centro Español - La Haya. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS
Young Adult Podium spoken word and music evening: Teenagers test original poems, rap verses, and stories during writing clinics capped by an open mic. 24 September, 18:30 - 20:45, Centrale Bibliotheek, 1e etage StudioB. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS
Mahalle’de Barış Buluşmaları hosts an open community peace talk: Participants gather over tea for ninety minutes of guided conversation imagining peaceful futures for Turkey and its diaspora. 24 September, 18:30 - 20:00, Mahalle Cafe. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS
Illustrator Jip van den Toorn at the national library: The cartoonist reflects on visual media, her creative routines, and how far satire can push into public debate. 24 September, KB nationale bibliotheek. 📅 TALKS / IDEAS
Sports nutrition basics for runners at Voedingsavond Den Haag: Sports specialists explain race-day fuelling, on-the-go snacks during long runs, and post-workout recovery strategies inside the running shop. 24 September, 19:00 - 20:00, De Hardloopwinkel Den Haag. 📅 WORKSHOP
Beginner steps and open dancing at SBK Sensation nights: An hour of basic salsa, bachata, and kizomba instruction where partners rotate, followed by an open dance floor. 24 September, Amare, Kunstenplein. 📅 SOCIAL / DRINKS
Dining With The Stars at Encore by Simonis: Harbourside tables, Dutch pop singers on stage, and an evening where food and drink are billed separately. 24 September, Encore by Simonis. 📅 TASTING
Explore city landmarks with the Elswhere Free Walking Tour: A tip-supported English stroll departs from the Haagse Harry statue, taking in the Binnenhof, Hofvijver, and royal palaces. 24 September, standbeeld Haagse Harry. 📅 TOUR
Beginners dance class and open floor at Dancehague: Learn steps in a one-hour class without bringing a partner, followed by open social dancing. 24 September, Kunstenplein, Amare. 📅 SOCIAL / DRINKS
Bronnen van Troost en Hoop: morning readings and discussion: Participants read biblical and philosophical passages together, unpack historical contexts and talk through shared reflections in small groups. 24 September. 📅 WORKSHOP
Air-drying clay and bead mosaic course across three mornings: Beginners shape, paint, and embellish a small decorative panel using provided craft supplies over three weekly group sessions. 24 September, 10:00, WZH HogeVeld. 📅 WORKSHOP
Focus your business direction at The Grounded Entrepreneur workshop: An interactive morning session examining what makes your venture distinct and clarifying what you actually need. 24 September, 10:00, Urban Café, Den Haag. 📅 WORKSHOP / TRAINING
Navigating ISO 27001 certification for growing tech startups: European founders and operators gather for a fireside talk and practical advice on meeting security compliance standards. 24 September, 16:45 - 19:00, The Hague Tech. 📅 SEMINAR / TALK
Self-hosting large language models at AI Innovation center: Presentations from HP and Xebia on running private machine learning setups, followed by drinks and networking over food. 24 September, 17:00, AI Innovation center. 📅 SEMINAR / TALK
Good to know
New on Dutch streaming: Dead of Winter (HBO Max), Dil Dhadakne Do (Netflix), Made in Korea (Disney+), The Love Hypothesis (Prime Video)
New on the big screen: The Cycle of Love opens Sunday at Pathé Scheveningen and Pathé Ypenburg. Showtimes here.
Overheard on Reddit: A post asking for plus-size women's clothing stores in The Hague prompted commenters to recommend local shops like Grande Des Grandes and Kilo Kilo Vintage, though several noted she might have better luck in nearby towns like Rijswijk or Naaldwijk.
Today's supermarket deals: Oppo Brothers Refreshed mango & passionfruit (1+1 free) from Albert Heijn, Unox or Conimex soup pouch (1+1 free) from Jumbo.
Did you know? Since 1982, the entire office of the Dutch Prime Minister has fit inside the Binnenhof's "Torentje," a tiny two-story octagonal tower first recorded back in 1354.
96 years ago today: On September 24th, 1930, The Hague's Museum for the Benefit of Education, ancestor of the Museon, opened on Hemsterhuisstraat.
In tomorrow’s edition: The Hoogtij contemporary art tour runs across city galleries, a morning coffee concert takes place at the Royal Conservatoire, and media platform V2 celebrates its 45th anniversary with a live concert featuring HIIIT.
Have a great Thursday.
Running something in The Hague? Tell us about it and we will take a look.
Take a jacket along if you are heading out near the coast this afternoon.
Want to make sure you never miss a day of Essentially The Hague? Subscribe here.