October is the month Dutch summer finally stops pretending and autumn moves in with its umbrella, its scarf, and a surprisingly packed social calendar.
Sure, the days are getting shorter and your bike rides wetter. But with medieval parties, fairytale castles and the world’s biggest club festival on the agenda, there’s no excuse to hide under a blanket.
Here’s what to mark on your calendar this month. 👇
1. Party like it’s 1574 at Leidens Ontzet
If you’ve ever wanted to experience an entire city eat mashed potatoes and herring and then party until the small hours, welcome to 3 October in Leiden.
Leidens Ontzet (the Relief of Leiden) celebrates the end of the Spanish siege of the city in 1574, during the Eighty Years’ War.
The fleeing Spaniards left behind a pot of hutspot (mashed potato and vegetable stew), while the rebels arrived with herring and white bread. Leiden still marks the occasion with the same menu, plus a few extras:
- Hutspot on the night of October 2, when most locals kick off the festivities
- Free herring and white bread at De Waag on the morning of 3 October
- The Taptoe parade, a procession of lights and performances
- A funfair, live stages and fireworks just before midnight
This year, 2 and 3 October fall on a Friday and Saturday, so no need to call in “sick” the next day.
2. Catch the Afrovibes festival (October 1 to 4)
Afrovibes returns for its 23rd edition, bringing theatre, dance, music and spoken word by makers from Africa and the African diaspora to three Dutch cities.
This year’s theme is Soil / Soul, exploring the connection between land, ancestry and heritage, according to De Brakke Grond. The festive opening is there on Thursday, October 1, with a live set by DJ Mo Wrights and singer-songwriter Bahghi.
Here’s where to catch Afrovibes:
- Amsterdam: De Brakke Grond (October 1 to 3), Framer Framed (October 3 and 4), and Bijlmer Parktheater (October 3 and 4, to be confirmed)
- Rotterdam: Maaspodium and Fenix (October 3 and 4)
- Utrecht: Theater Kikker (October 4)
3. Enjoy Piano Nights at the Concertgebouw
On Wednesday, October 7, pianists Eric Christian and Nino Gvetadze take over the Concertgebouw’s Main Hall for 90 minutes of neoclassical music, from romantic melodies to Ludovico Einaudi.
You’ll be sitting in the same hall where Mahler, Strauss and Stravinsky once conducted their own work, which is not a bad way to spend a Wednesday.
Tickets cost €19 to €59 (plus a €5 booking fee), and your first drink is on the house. 🍷 Just note there’ll be strobe lights. You’ll find all the details on our Piano Nights event page.
4. Stay up late at Museumnacht Den Haag (October 10)
On Saturday, October 10, The Hague turns into one big after-dark playground. The organisers call it het fènste avondsje kuns en kultuâh — “the finest evening of art and culture” in the city’s famous local accent.
From 7 PM, one ticket gets you into dozens of museums, galleries and hidden gems. Highlights include:
- Mauritshuis: a (nude) life-drawing workshop
- Kunstmuseum Den Haag: events include flashlight tours, screen printing and a bit of clay modelling
- Nationaal Archief: a backstage peek at the depot holding more than 15 million photos
5. Wander around a Dutch castle in autumn colours
The Netherlands may be flat, but it’s not short of castles, and October is when their parks look their best.
Some examples? Kasteel de Haar, near Utrecht, is the largest castle in the country. It was rebuilt from a ruin by Pierre Cuypers (yes, the Rijksmuseum guy) between 1892 and 1912.
Its gardens are open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM, with a maze and a deer park to explore. If the drizzle kicks in, head inside the castle itself.
READ MORE | 14 breathtaking castles and palaces in the Netherlands
Prefer something smaller? Kasteel Oud Poelgeest in Oegstgeest, just outside Leiden, sits on a wooded estate of over 10 hectares. It was once home to famous Leiden professor Herman Boerhaave, and its castle bar has a terrace overlooking the pond.
6. Go pumpkin picking
Once the apples are picked, it’s time for pumpkins to steal the spotlight.
Up north, the Pompoenplukdagen (pumpkin-picking days) return to the Nieuwlandse Akker in Groningen on October 3 and 4, with a local market and pumpkin carving for kids.
Down in Groesbeek, near Nijmegen, Groentenhof Poelen hosts free Halloween pumpkin days on the last three Sundays of October. Just bring wellies — Dutch fields in October are not known for being dry.
7. Take a trip through the human body
If your curtains have revealed a rainy day and the children are bouncing off the walls, then one option is to head to CORPUS in Oegstgeest. You literally walk through a giant human body (let them bounce off those walls instead).
You enter through the knee and finish in the brain, riding through the heart as a red blood cell in a 5D theatre along the way. You travel in small groups with an English audio tour, and there’s an interactive section afterwards where you can even test your hearing. It’s recommended for ages six and up.
It works with time slots, so book ahead. Bonus: it’s just down the road from Kasteel Oud Poelgeest.
8. Chill out with some bunnies
If October’s grey skies are getting to you, might we suggest a rabbit?
The Quiet Rex in Amsterdam-Noord is an adults-only (20+) reading lounge where free-roaming bunnies hop around while you read, craft or quietly work.
READ MORE | Free-roaming bunnies, hundreds of books, and silence: welcome to The Quiet Rex
The soft and bouncy staff include Caesar (Chief Executive Officer) and his brother Julius (Chief Risk Officer), who decide when it’s time to cuddle. Check out their website for all the booking options.
9. Finally start saving (and snag €100 while you’re at it)
With the end of the year in sight, it’s a good moment to tackle the money admin you’ve been putting off since January.
Looking for a new bank account to get your saving journey started? ING currently offers newcomers a €100 welcome bonus for opening an account and depositing €250 into an Orange Savings account.
READ MORE | New ING customers can receive a €100 welcome bonus: here’s how
Feeling more ambitious? Our guide to investment apps in the Netherlands walks you through the best options.
10. Dance the night away at ADE (October 21 to 25)
If you need to dance it all off, Amsterdam Dance Event celebrates its 30th edition this year, turning the capital into one giant dance floor for five days.
Electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre is guest of honour and plays the opening concert at AFAS Live on October 21. Other highlights from ADE’s line-up include Eric Prydz at the Gashouder and Het Nationale Ballet’s Swan Lake Remixed.
Pack comfortable shoes and a waterproof jacket. You’ll need both.
Whether you’re after history, culture or a very well-behaved rabbit, October in the Netherlands has plenty to offer to distract you from the rain.
What’s on your October bucket list this year? Let us know in the comments!
