Sneekweek: more than a week of sailing!

It’s coming! Sneekweek 2017 – 4 t/m 13 augustus – 82nd edition!

 

First things first…how do you pronounce Sneek? Here is a quick tip! Sneek; it looks like it should be pronounced as ‘sneak’, when in actual fact it sounds much more like the English word ‘snake’!

Disclaimer – accents, mother tongues and general differing approaches to the word may still produce an incorrect pronunciation!

Back to the task at hand…

Sneek is a picturesque city in southwest Friesland. Surrounded by lakes, it makes the perfect place for the annually held, week long sailing regatta, Sneekweek. Naturally the fun is not limited to the water and in true Dutch style, the week is filled with festivities on both the water and solid ground. From ‘drankjes’ in the sun with family friendly discos, to the classic ‘feestjes’ in the city streets, Sneekweek not only attracts the Dutchies from all corners of the Lowlands but also draws in a pretty international crowd too. So, if you loved trying out a bit of skating on the Frisian waters in Winter, why not try your luck at seeing how the Dutchies party on the water in the Summer!

 

Magical sky and scenery in #Sneek #Friesland. Great pic by @samanthatinsdeall & Robbie 😉

Een bericht gedeeld door DutchReview (@dutchreview) op

Sneekweek: Let’s get the party started!

The week kicks off with a ‘vlootschouw’ aka ‘fleet show’ where boats representing each of the sailing groups, make their way down the illuminated city canals and showcase their sails! From small racing boats to larger ships, hundreds of people turn out on the canal sides to take in the floating fleet. Many of the vessels even carry their own musical entertainment; be prepared to see brass bands, lots of orange clothing and of course some good old Dutch singing! The ‘gezelligheid’ is turned up a notch as the night sky is lit up with an impressive firework display. But the fun doesn’t stop there….

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1BN2kCXthI[/embedyt]

The Dutchies certainly know how to have a good party, and Sneekweek is no exception. The 82nd edition of the event is accompanied by music stages dotted around the city, offering live band acts and a whole variety of DJ’s that keep the city dancing in the streets until the small hours. Should your feet start to get a little tired, or you fancy a bit of an adrenaline rush, the annual Sneekweek ‘kermis’ aka the fun fair has enough going on to send you and the kids dizzy! Just be careful you don’t indulge in too many ‘biertjes’ before the fun house, you may leave looking and feeling slightly worse than your average drunken sailor!

See the full line up and more details of each of Sneekweek’s stages here: http://www.sneekweekgids.nl/muziekpleinen.html

 

Ah yes, and now for a bit about the actual sailing!

Sneekweek is the largest inshore racing event within Europe. Now in its 82nd year, the week is jam packed with sailing races. There are 40 different classes which sailors can compete within. One of the highlights of the week is Hardzeildag, the last race day of the week and the day in which Friesland races against Holland (South and North Holland). For this race, the Frisian flags are out in force as well as the support from the shores. Over the years, it has been team Holland that have managed to rack up the most victories, however last year it was the Frisian team who managed to win the day!

View from the water.

Therefore, with Sneekweek 2017 quickly approaching, get your sailors legs on, your dancing shoes, and make you way to Sneek for a week of guaranteed fun and gezelligheid!

Samantha Tinsdeall
Samantha Tinsdeall
Originally from the UK, Samantha has pursued her love of travelling. A graduate of English Literature, she is now focusing on 'what she wants to be when she grows up', whilst finding her feet in the Netherlands after being side-tracked by a Dutch man she met in Budapest.

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