These are the festivals in 2025

2025 will see a number of brand new and high-profile events. Despite the NATO summit that will take place in The Hague in June 2025. This event requires a lot of capacity across the country and also placed Rotterdam Festivals with quite a challenge in putting together the calendar. But it will be a year in which Rotterdam shows what it stands for as a festival city with, for example, a bombardment of poetry and a giant slide on the roof of the Maritime Museum. The complete calendar can be found via this link.

Bombing of Poems

On 14 May 2025, it will be 85 years since Rotterdam was bombed, destroying half the city centre. Around that day, 100,000 poems will be strewn over the city centre from a helicopter this time. They will swirl down on Rotterdammers as messengers of beauty, peace and connection.

Bombing of Poems, as the event is called, is an initiative of Poetry International Rotterdam and takes place ahead of its 55th edition in June. Other bombed cities such as London, Milan, Berlin, Santiago, Warsaw and Madrid preceded Rotterdam with their own Poetry Bombing. The moving images of these went around the world.

Rotterdam Rooftop Roetsj

From 29 May to 9 June, anyone can go down a giant slide from the roof of the Maritime Museum. Rotterdam Rooftop Roetsj will take place as part of the festive 10th edition of the Rotterdam Rooftop Days. Visitors can also take a zip line for a completely different perspective of the museum, the museum port and its surroundings. Rotterdam Rooftop Roetsj takes Rotterdammers into the future renovation of the museum and the development of the Maritime District, entire area around the Leuvehaven. An exhibition on the roof of the museum brings to life a possible future for the city where buildings, water and greenery come together in new ways.

Groundbreaking music festivals

Rotterdam Festivals is taking three (relatively) new festivals to the next level. First, Nous'klaer, the festival that grew out of the record label of the same name, which has been releasing progressive music for ten years. Last year, the first edition took place and it tasted like much more. That is why Nous'klaer is growing with a solid edition on 28 June 2025 in Brutus, where visual art and stimulating performances will play an important role.

Conflux Festival is also experiencing a growth spurt. The festival that combines electronic (dance) music and experimental light and sound art and presents with performance programmes, an exhibition, a conference and a club night, will spread across several venues in the city from 18 to 21 September 2025.

The most exciting newcomer is POING FEST, on 30 August. This brand new festival spawned from POING CLUB, has deep roots in Rotterdam's creative (queer) community and explores the boundaries of freedom and innovation within night culture. With its focus on experimental music, cultural connection, performance art, creative collaborations as well as extra care for safety and inclusivity, POING FEST sets a distinctive tone within the Rotterdam festival landscape.

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''The 2025 Events Calendar has turned out the way we like it at Rotterdam Festivals: the programme is surprising, daring and there is something special for everyone. Over 73% of Rotterdammers have indicated that they find festivals important. All those locals will be able to indulge themselves next year,'' says Frans Vreeke, director a.i. of Rotterdam Festivals.

Alderman Said Kasmi (Education, Culture and Events): ''Putting together the Events Calendar was quite a challenge again this year, but I am extremely proud that Rotterdam Festivals, together with all those involved, has once again managed to put together a wonderful programme. In 2025, we can enjoy not only our beloved festivals, but also exciting new initiatives that reflect the creative energy of the city. I am confident that we are in for a fantastic festival year!''

Photo: Cameron @aesthetic_lunatic