What is there to do in Rotterdam in the month of September? Luckily there are events to visit in September and you can enjoy arts and culture in the open air again. There are performances by acrobats, there are musical performances and there is a street art festival. Read more about the events POW! WOW! and First Steps.
Street Art Festival POW! WOW!: 6 to 13 September
The Afrikaanderwijk district will host the street art festival POW! WOW! again in September 2020. Between 6 and 13 September, visitors will be able to witness how international artists will decorate the neighborhood with spray cans and paint. Fifteen new murals will be made, but also five artists will be given the freedom to metamorphose five abandoned buildings. On the last day, one of the most popular activities that many visitors are looking forward to is traditionally held: 20 VANS 30 CANS! Twenty vehicles will be transformed by the artists and get a new life as mobile street art works.
Practical information
On the website of POW! WOW! you can find a lot of useful information. Through this link you can mainly find practical information on how to get there and where to find the places where the artists are working. If you are curious about which artists are going to participate, here is the link with more information. If you would like to discover other street art outside the festival on your own, we recommend downloading Rewriters’ app.
Foto: Martine KiersBackground information POW! WOW!
If you are visiting POW! WOW! for the first time, we are happy to give you some extra background information. Meanwhile POW! WOW! has grown into a worldwide street art festival where from 2018 Rotterdam is the only European city where the event will be held. Although the festival has a relatively young character because many visitors are between twenty and thirty years old, we want to emphasize that everyone is welcome regardless of color, age, or culture. This is also always the essence of POW! WOW! The term ‘powwow’ is the name North American Indians used for a cultural event where different groups came together to dance and sing. So feel very welcome to POW! WOW!!
First Steps Festival: 19 September
There would be a lot to do in Rotterdam in 2020 if you look at the festivals. The coronavirus caused a lot of festivals to be cancelled. On Saturday the 19th of September Rotterdam takes the first steps again with a big festival spread all over the city. Several festivals that couldn’t go through this year are now teaming up with First Steps. This is great fun for the visitors who can now choose from a variety of acts. We highlight a number of special acts that you can visit.
The Sirens
What do opera, hip-hop and BMX bikes have in common? Not much, you might think. But for years Operadagen Rotterdam has been bringing together various artists and performers. During First Steps, the classic story from Greek mythology about the Sirens will be given a modern twist with hip-hop elements, opera and BMX cyclists. In the ancient story the Sirens seduced sailors to sail to them. The sailors often couldn’t resist the lure with disastrous consequences. While sailing towards the Sirens they smashed their ships on the rocks. In the modern version of Operadagen Rotterdam, the theme of being able to resist temptation is also central. The performance lasts 15 minutes and can be seen several times between 13.00 and 18.00 on the Schouwburgplein.
Sound Concert
North Sea Round Town organizes a special sound concert in the Laurenskerk. You lie blindfolded in a comfortable lounger and let your body experience the music. A sound concert is often called a ‘sound bath’ because you take in the sounds and frequencies of the music in a purely relaxed way. A sound concert is often compared to a massage of sounds and that you can experience inner peace. During the festival First Steps from 12.30 to 13.15, the band Under The Surface will perform the sound concert. Click here for more information and to sign up.
Satchok
Ooh! Ah! Oooh! Those will probably be words you hear the audience say when looking at the art of acrobat trio Satchok. You can watch the two gentlemen and lady on the Schouwburgplein from the afternoon. They will give two performances of 20 minutes. The first starts at 12.00 and the second at 13.30. Look here for more information about this event offered by Circusstad Festival. Highly recommended for those who love acrobatics, agility, and stunts!
There is much more…
Were these all the highlights for the First Steps festival? Certainly not! We’ll just give you a hint of what you can expect during First Steps. Music lovers can also go to singer AUX and the dance ensemble Kiki House of Angels offered by Pride Rotterdam. Poetry International presents the much acclaimed poet Mustafa Stitou. And there is so much more. Look here for all the info.
September offers enough fun for everyone who is going to visit Rotterdam in September. If you would like to combine one of the festivals with a guided tour, you are welcome to join our regular Free Tour or Skyline Free Tour on Saturday. In any way, we wish you a lot of fun in Rotterdam!
