Friday September 18, 2026
Good morning, The Hague. Today: timeslots arrive for the Japanese Garden at Clingendael, the Ooievaarsrun truck convoy returns to the streets, and Anna Fedorova plays Grieg with Sinfonia Rotterdam.
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 18°C / 65°F (1° warmer than yesterday) · Lo 16°C / 60°F · 5% chance of rain · wind W 21 km/h (11 knots)
🚲 Cycling: Mostly fine, a shower is possible.
🌙 Sun & moon: Sunrise 07:22 · Sunset 19:50 · First Quarter · Moonrise 16:13 · Golden hour 19:20 to 19:50
🌊 Outdoors: Air quality fair (AQI 23) · grass pollen low
💶 Markets: AEX 1,101 (+0.4%) · S&P 500 7,638 (+1.1%) · €1 = $1.15 · $1 = €0.87
Ooievaarsrun truck convoy returns to The Hague: Dozens of trucks and emergency vehicles will carry people with disabilities across the region this Saturday. The route finishes at Scheveningen harbour with live music and family entertainment.
Timeslots introduced for Japanese Garden visits: Growing crowds and long queues have prompted the introduction of mandatory booking slots this autumn. Entry remains free, with reservations opening ahead of the brief seasonal opening.
Free sports festival returns to Zuiderpark this weekend: Sportcampus Zuiderpark will host demonstrations and tryout sessions across more than twenty sports. The two-day event marks the end of the city's summer sports programme.
Theresiakerk opens to neighbours ahead of conversion: The empty church on Apeldoornselaan will welcome visitors one final time next week before major renovations begin. The building is being converted into a supermarket, care flats, and community space.
Hart voor Den Haag bus labelled a wreck: The municipality plans to tow a parked double-decker bus belonging to the local political party if it is not moved. The vehicle has been stranded for months awaiting repairs.
Singing and movement for toddlers at Ukkieconcert: Gentle musical morning sessions designed for walking toddlers to sing, move around, and explore live sound. 18 September, Theater en Filmhuis Dakota. 📅 FAMILY SHOW
De eigenwijze kinderen van Annie M.G. Schmidt: Children step into Abeltje's elevator, record cat videos with Minoes, and construct verse in dedicated activity rooms. 18 September, Kinderboekenmuseum. 📅 MUSEUM / EDUCATIONAL
Hands-on drawing and painting workshop with Art-S-Cool: Artist Angelique guides children aged seven to twelve through mixed craft techniques, painting, and sketching in the library. 18 September, 15:30, Bibliotheek Transvaalkwartier. 📅 KIDS WORKSHOP
Hands-on play for toddlers at Ik ben Kikker: Babies and young children explore Max Velthuijs storybooks through a crawling course, mock baking, and bilingual games. 18 September, Kinderboekenmuseum. 📅 MUSEUM / EDUCATIONAL
Baby Symfonie music performance for very young children: Het bericht Baby Symfonie - 20260918 verscheen eerst op Kidsproof Den Haag . 18 September. 📅 FAMILY SHOW
Story-crafting and comic workshops inside Papiria: Young readers meet story characters like Pippi Longstocking while drafting their own comics and rhymes in creative booths. 18 September, Kinderboekenmuseum. 📅 MUSEUM / EDUCATIONAL
Anna Fedorova plays Grieg with Sinfonia Rotterdam: Conrad van Alphen conducts a nineteenth-century programme featuring Debussy, Bizet's first symphony, and a romantic piano concerto. 18 September. 📅 CLASSICAL
Robotic arms encircle Cello Octet Amsterdam in Cocon: Eight cellists perform surrounded by mechanical limbs moving live to contemporary scores by Naqvi and Barbieri. 18 September, 20:00, Korzo. 📅 CLASSICAL
Selah Sue & The Gallands in concert: Soul, jazz, and pop arranged with strings, live bass, and Rhodes keyboard from an expanded collaboration. 18 September, PAARD. 📅 POP / ROCK
Festival Klassiek achter de Duinen returns to city centre spaces: Now in its fifth year, this festival stages chamber music concerts across four historic city locations. 18 September, Various venues. 📅 CLASSICAL
Dancers present collaborative show Sueños at El Pub Flamenco: Two seasoned dancers share the stage with live Spanish guitar accompaniment and traditional flamenco vocals. 18 September, De Regentes. 📅 WORLD / FOLK
Mosh Pint Tour heads to De Zwarte Ruiter: A regional heavy metal meetup meets by the train platforms before heading over for rock music and drinks. 18 September, 18:30, De Zwarte Ruiter. 📅 POP / ROCK
Stephanie Struijk marks twenty years of songwriting: Personal stories and a mix of old and new material from the Dutch singer-songwriter, formerly Stevie Ann. 18 September, Theater in De Steeg. 📅 SINGER-SONGWRITER
Free alternative rock and grunge with The SoapGirls: The duo plays high-energy grunge and alternative rock with free admission for anyone dropping by. 18 September, De Zwarte Ruiter. 📅 POP / ROCK
NWOBHM pioneers Demon joined by Steelover: Classic heavy metal from Staffordshire veterans Demon alongside eighties melodic metal from Belgian band Steelover. 18 September, Musicon. 📅 POP / ROCK
Het Dineum pop-up edible art experience: Small groups walk between art installations where performance artists serve edible components of each piece. 18 September, Het Dineum - Pop-up Museum voor Eetbare Kunst. 📅 ART / MUSEUMS
Celebrate 30 jaar Hemels Gewelf with tours in Kijkduin: Guided walks explore James Turrell's monumental dune bowl, with an English-language slot and drinks at De Haagse Beek. 18 September, Hemels Gewelf (Verzamelplaats). 📅 ART / MUSEUMS
Awkward memories and comedy at Cringe!: Comedians and writers share their most painfully embarrassing real-life memories live on stage for sympathetic laughs. 18 September, Theater de Veste. 📅 COMEDY
Jan van Goyen's massive seventeenth-century cityscape on display: A climate-controlled glass case protects the four-metre panoramic canvas while the city museum undergoes renovation. 18 September, Atrium Den Haag. 📅 ART / MUSEUMS
SOEKARNO opens at the Koninklijke Schouwburg: Two actors portray Indonesia's first president across different eras, exploring independence and fragile democracy on the main stage. 18 September, Het Nationale Theater - Koninklijke Schouwburg. 📅 THEATER
Contemporary Islamic artists alongside historic prints in Escher exhibition: Ceramics, photography and textiles from twenty artists sit beside classic prints to trace shared geometric patterns. 18 September, Escher in Het Paleis. 📅 ART / MUSEUMS
Up-and-coming cabaret acts in the Cameretten preliminary rounds: Five emerging performers test short sets on stage, competing for spots in the festival's autumn semi-finals. 18 September, 20:15, Theater Dakota. 📅 COMEDY
North Sea sailing trip aboard Clipper Stad Amsterdam: Spend six hours out on the water, helping the crew hoist the sails or watching from the wooden deck. 18 September, Scheveningen Haven. 📅 TOUR
Farsi literary discussions at Persian Bookclub: Fluent speakers gather over tea to read and dissect an allegory from Rumi's Masnavi. 18 September, 18:30, Bibliotheek Nieuw Waldeck. 📅 WORKSHOP
Four courses beside painters at Artist Supperclub: Fusion plates and paired drinks served at shared tables alongside four exhibiting gallery artists. 18 September, 17:30 - 20:00, De Galerie Den Haag. 📅 TASTING
Pitch a Friend at Night Café: You bring a pal, give a two-minute slide presentation about them, and break the ice over ping pong. 18 September, Bisou Social Club. 📅 SOCIAL / DRINKS
Walking tour of The Hague's famous film locations: A guided walk comparing local streets with original scenes on screen while tracing the city's lost cinemas. 18 September, Pathé Buitenhof. 📅 TOUR
Learn draughts tactics at Dammen voor een glimlach: Experienced players guide beginners through game rules, tactical tricks, and casual matches without any advance sign-up needed. 18 September, 14:30, bibliotheek Moerwijk. 📅 GAMES / HOBBIES
Learn and sing traditional tunes at Share a Folk Song: An acoustic gathering where people swap international folk melodies by ear following a casual vocal warm-up. 18 September, 19:45, Amare, Kunstenplein. 📅 WORKSHOP
Café ZZP networking coffee for French-speaking freelancers: Independent workers gather in the garden restaurant to chat over morning coffee and discuss current projects in French. 18 September, 09:00 - 11:00, Greens | restaurant, garden. 📅 NETWORKING
AI Meetup #4 with founder talks, pizza and networking: Presentations from startup founders cover practical artificial intelligence applications before moving into informal discussions over drinks and pizza. 18 September, 18:00, The AI Hub. 📅 NETWORKING
Drinks and casual networking at Frequency Work Lounge: A straightforward open house gives remote workers a chance to tour the first-floor co-working desks over light refreshments. 18 September, 16:00 - 18:00, Frequency Work Lounge. 📅 NETWORKING
Good to know
New on Dutch streaming: The Last Mountain (SkyShowtime), Deep Revenge (HBO Max), Gate 24: The Border (Netflix), City of Blood (Disney+)
New on the big screen: Paradijs is now showing at 3 cinemas, and Queen at Sea opens Monday at 3 cinemas. Showtimes here.
Overheard on Reddit: A thread looking to buy a used gaming console or laptop received direct offers from other users, alongside advice to wait for Black Friday sales instead of risking a secondhand laptop.
Today's supermarket deals: AH Cheddar grated cheese (2 for €5.00) from Albert Heijn, Pepsi, Rivella, 7-Up or Sisi (2 for €3.99) from Jumbo.
Did you know? Prinsjesdag in The Hague has been held on a Tuesday since 1887, after parliament shifted it off Monday because far-flung members couldn't travel on Sundays.
8 years ago today: On September 18th, 2018, King Willem-Alexander delivered his longest Speech from the Throne yet, 2,588 words, at Prinsjesdag in The Hague.
In tomorrow’s edition: A tactile tour for visually impaired visitors takes place at Binnen Handbereik, a discussion examines resistance and spirituality in the Surinamese and Caribbean diaspora, and Weimar's Wijkpaleis opens its doors to the neighbourhood.
Have a great Friday.
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A cool breeze is rolling in off the coast this morning.
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