Rotterdam's biggest picnic blanket is rolled out again

After a successful first edition during Zomer op Zuid 2023, the city's largest picnic rug, made by textile artist Maaike Gottschal from over 1,700 tea towels, will stay at Zuid. On Sunday 25 August, the rug will be rolled out in Afrikaanderpark for the Great Picnic on Zuid. Admission is free and bring your own picnic snacks and drinks. There will be framing live acoustic music and creative workshops.

In collaboration with a number of local neighbourhood initiatives, this year's event will be even grander. Neighbourhood residents, in addition to the city's biggest picnic blanket, will make a number of tablecloths for the picnic tables around the big blanket, mostly by reusing existing fabrics and rags that reflect their cultural background.

Mr Swamie Ramsaran of the Lalla Rookh Foundation and active in the Afrikaander neighbourhood for years: "We really like the fact that the largest picnic rug in Rotterdam will be rolled out in the Afrikaanderpark this summer. Together with other local residents, we will make several more small picnic rugs. This way, we can organise a nice event for our neighbourhood together."

In addition to the Swami family of Lalla Rookh, we are collaborating with local residents Gloria of the Red Ribbon, the ladies of our Tea House, Zoë D. Cochia of Niffo Gallery/Recycle Studio and Ilknur of Eerstenur.

"With De Grote Picknick op Zuid, we want to bring the residents of Rotterdam together in a low-threshold way and let them 'taste' each other's cultures/cuisines in an informal way, literally and figuratively." said the organisers. "We want to show that a harmonious society is possible. A society where we are connected to each other and have understanding and respect for each other and each other's culture. The growing picnic blanket, made by and for Rotterdammers, symbolises this. With the second edition, we hope to continue a tradition at Zuid that will return annually on the last Sunday of the summer holidays!".

More info via this link.