Essentially The Hague for Thursday 22 October: Health premium rises, flats planned in Leidschenveen, Dinoshow

Thursday October 22, 2026

Good morning, The Hague. Today: the health insurance premium rises by 14.75 euros a month, 250 flats are planned for an empty grass field in Leidschenveen, and De Dinoshow brings free silent disco theatre for ages two and up.

Torenstraat ice cream house Florencia plans major rebuild: Almost everything behind the counter at the nearly century-old coffee and ice cream shop is changing: production moves to the first floor, and six rental flats go into the upper storeys. The shop floor is untouched and stays open during the works. Flats measure 57 to 70 square metres.

Scheveningen surfer Mirna Boelsma chases thirteenth national title: Boelsma, 31, has won the Dutch wave surfing championship twelve times and competes again from Sunday 25 October on the French coast. She now lives much of the year in Portugal for better waves and training, and says a lingering knee injury has not stopped her.

Dennis Toppin, crowned king in Ghana, guides Hague youth: Toppin was crowned a provincial king in Ghana about two years ago, after promising a boy by Lake Bosomtwe that he would help children there get back to school. From his Den Haag gym he works with the city and Jongerenpunt070 to help young people become work-ready.

3,380 fewer Hague children growing up on benefits: The number of children and young people living at home with a parent on benefits in The Hague fell to 12,670 at the end of last year, the lowest since 2009. New national research found three in ten who spent five years in such households are jobless by 30.

The Hague offers €100,000 for night culture plans: Individuals can apply for up to €3,000 and organisations for up to €10,000, with applications open until 20 November. Grants go in order of arrival and the scheme closes once the budget runs out. Last year fifteen projects got money, including free jam sessions and an alcohol-free club night.

250 flats to replace empty Leidschenveen grass field: More than half of the homes at Park Bloom, next to the Leidschenveen shopping centre, will be social rent; the cheapest for sale starts at 345,000 euros. Building starts in December and runs about 2.5 years, with the first residents expected in spring 2029. Neighbours have raised parking concerns.

Public toilet coming to Scheveningse Bosjes playground: The city will build it beside the sand playground at Ary van der Spuyweg 1, with access for people with disabilities, automatic cleaning after every visit and two extra cleans weekly. Users pay a small fee. Residents can give views on opening hours and running costs until 31 October.

Six Australians and a New Zealander now at HRC: The Hague rugby club is known for its youth academy, but its current run also rests on recruits from the other side of the world. One of them, Donny Freeman, grew up on his parents' vast farm in the Australian interior. HRC beat AAC 71-7 on Saturday.

Health insurance premium rises 14.75 euros monthly: DSW, traditionally the first Dutch insurer to publish its rates, says basic cover will cost 173.25 euros a month next year, a rise of 9.3%. The health allowance goes up 11 euros less than the premium, and other insurers must announce prices by 12 November.

Herman J.M. Cools traces falconry roots of Valkenbos name: A local culture group has opened presales for his study of where the Valkenbos name came from, pointing to falconers who served the counts of Holland and later the House of Orange. The book costs 15 euros until 1 December and 18 euros in shops.

Free silent disco theatre: De Dinoshow for ages two and up: Toddlers wear headphones to hear the dinosaur sounds, can bring a cuddly dinosaur along, and places are free with email registration. 22 October, 14:00, Vadercentrum Adam. FAMILY SHOW

Hunt for birds in paintings, then paint your own, ages 7+: Children find the birds hidden in the artworks downstairs, then make their own in the attic studio, feathers and glitter thread included. 22 October, Kunstuitleen Voorburg. KIDS WORKSHOP

Skeletje at Festival De Betovering, a farewell told with lights and flowers: Día de los Muertos shapes this piece on saying goodbye, with slapstick, magic and dance from Theatergroep Grote Mensen and Maas. 22 October, Podium NOORD. FAMILY SHOW

Kids add coloured foil to their own T-shirts, free in Bouwlust: Bring a shirt from home and an artist helps you add coloured foils; it's free, and the places are already gone. 22 October, Bibliotheek Bouwlust. KIDS WORKSHOP

CORPUS Kids Academy takes on stuttering, free for ages 8 to 12: On World Stuttering Day, children try a nerve spiral without touching it and tell stories without certain words; free, no booking needed. 22 October, 13:00, CORPUS. KIDS WORKSHOP

Rondé, three albums in, back in PAARD's Grolsch Zaal: Pop four-piece led by Rikki Borgelt, three albums deep including Ten, with doors opening half an hour before the show. 22 October, 20:00, PAARD, Kleine Zaal. POP / ROCK

Kormós album release, with the Escarteen Sisters on viola and cello: Greek folk, eastern Mediterranean and Persian traditions meet free improvisation, then two sisters sing while playing viola and cello. 22 October, 20:00 - 22:30, The Grey Space in The Middle. WORLD / FOLK

Piano, bass and drums from the Eduard Preda Jazz Trio: The 25-year-old pianist, recently nominated for the GrachtenfestivalPrijs, works standards and classical interludes into one set in the society's large hall. 22 October, 20:00, Sociëteit De Vereeniging. JAZZ / BLUES

Funk Sessions, free and late, at a Grote Markt wine bar: Funk, groove and improvisation on a jazz base, a different line-up each time, free and running until one in the morning. 22 October, 21:30, wijnbar September. JAZZ / BLUES

L.A. Sagne, Babe Haven and Latter share PAARD's Kleine Zaal: Amsterdam punk off the debut album Good Company, with a queer punk band from North Carolina and a Chicago noise rock duo. 22 October, 19:30, PAARD, Kleine Zaal. POP / ROCK

Dance for young and old at Het Danspaleis, free at Korzo: An easy way in to contemporary dance, free but worth reserving early because the hall is small. 22 October, 14:00, Korzo theater. DANCE / PERFORMANCE

On the Spot: Israel van Dorsten on getting out of Ruinerwold: He grew up in the closed Ruinerwold community and got out in 2019; now a sociologist, he talks about manipulation and isolation. 22 October, 19:30, KB nationale bibliotheek. TALKS / IDEAS

Black Sheep Can Fly, Saman Amini's second Integratieplan, in the Grote Zaal: Amini walks the audience through the sore points splitting the Netherlands right now, ninety minutes in the main hall. 22 October. THEATER

Coward, Lukas Dhont's war film, screens with English subtitles at Flora: A new recruit at the front meets a soldier staging a theatre show; spoken in French and Dutch, English subtitles. 22 October, Flora Filmtheater. FILM

Walk Natasha Tontey's Macho Mystic Meltdown with a free English tour: A guide takes you through the themes and stories behind Tontey's practice; the tour is free, standard exhibition admission on arrival. 22 October, 1646. ART / MUSEUMS

Asset, Liability & Equity: five performers in an arena, by ARK: Connor Schumacher's company sets five dancers in an arena, somewhere between concert dance and The Hunger Games, asking when care becomes control. 22 October, 20:15, Theater de Veste. DANCE / PERFORMANCE

A premiere of De Gouden Jaren, with orchestra, cabaret and song: Bakker conducts, Rebecca Lobry sings and Van Muiswinkel ties it together with observations, running through the second half of the twentieth century. 22 October, 20:00, Rijswijkse Schouwburg. THEATER

Six or seven dishes timed to the film at Cinema Culinair: Thirty seconds before anyone eats on screen, a countdown goes up and the same small dish arrives at every table. 22 October, 18:00, Park Centraal Den Haag. FILM

Curator's talk on 800 jaar Duivenvoorde, in the castle's Marotzaal: Curator Simone Nieuwenbroek runs through the families and staff who lived here, forbidden romances, silver and auctions, and what comes next. 22 October, 15:30, Kasteel Duivenvoorde. ART / MUSEUMS

The 600-year-old 'Stadich' ring from the Binnenhof dig, free to see: City archaeologists turned up the gold band during work on the Binnenhof, along with a medieval ditch and pottery jugs. 22 October, 10:00, Informatiecentrum Binnenhof Renovatie. ART / MUSEUMS

Free bachata workshop and open social dancing: Start with a beginner lesson on the Kunstenplein before the floor opens for three hours of partner dancing. 22 October, 19:00 - 23:00, Amare Studio, Amare. CLASS

Indigo dyeing and Moluccan textile traditions at Centrale Bibliotheek: Hands-on vat dyeing exploring traditional Moluccan Ikat techniques, cultural symbolism, and the sacred Oiale circular motif. 22 October, 18:30, Centrale Bibliotheek, 1e verdieping, Studio B. WORKSHOP

Tree trail for families on the Oostduin-Arendsdorp estate, free and drop-in: Pick up a question sheet by the big playground and work your way round the estate's trees; volunteers stay until four. 22 October, 14:00, Landgoed Oostduin-Arendsdorp. TOUR

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