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Summer festivals in Groningen

Summer in Groningen is in full swing. As soon as the sun stays out a little longer, dance floors spring up on boats, in the streets, on old factory sites and right in the middle of the Stadspark. Sometimes these are grand, exuberant festivals; other times, they’re parties small enough for you to bump into everyone.

MISFIT | Queer Boat Party

22 August – On Saturday 22 August, MISFIT sets sail. Between 5.30 pm and 10.00 pm, a boat departing from the Oosterhaven will be transformed into a floating queer dance floor. No dark cellar or packed club, but fresh air, views over the water and plenty of space to be exactly as you are. Expect colour, vibrant vibes and, no doubt, a dreamy view. And what happens on the queer boat? According to the organisers, that stays on the queer boat, of course.

ONTZET! | Wolter Wolthers

28 August – Celebrate Bommen Berend with Wolter Wolthers and Onder de Pannen in a slightly different way. During ONTZET!, they’ll be taking over the green outdoor area of Bamboo Lodge on the Suikerterrein on Friday 28 August. Spread across two intimate outdoor stages, the line-up features disco and house music from acts including VUUR, Eileen and Roos Reijmers, alongside local Groningen artists. The party runs from 5.00 pm until just before midnight. In a setting where the industrial past shimmers through the greenery.

FIXY | Street Rave

28 August – For the Streetrave, FIXY brings the energy of the club out onto the streets. The venue is usually found on Oosterstraat, where electronic nights blend with a bar full of vinyl, homemade cocktails and drinks from all over the world. During the Streetrave, that same laid-back club atmosphere will spill out onto the streets. Don’t expect neat, synchronised moves in formation, but rather a dance floor where Groningen shows its unpolished side. Keep an eye on FIXY’s channels for the final time, venue and line-up.

KopjeK | BoatRave

29 August – One last hurrah for summer. On Saturday 29 August, KopjeK is organising a late-summer rave on the water. The boat sets sail from the Oosterhaven and will be out from 5.30 pm to 10.00 pm, as the city slowly slips into the evening. KopjeK is keeping the exact line-up under wraps for now, but the formula is set: electronic music, a boat full of dancers and the Groningen skyline as a backdrop. You’ll feel it. The love of music. The love of people.

Hullabaloo | Stadspark

5 & 6 September – Anyone who enjoys hopping from one act to the next should head to the Stadspark on 5 and 6 September. Hullabaloo is pulling out all the stops for two days of pop, dance, hip-hop and Dutch crowd favourites. On Saturday, the line-up includes Lewis Capaldi, Frenna, Antoon, Danny Vera and S10, amongst others. On Sunday, Martin Garrix, Bankzitters, De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig, Son Mieux and Bente will take to the stage. A huge site, big names and enough variety to keep you hopping between stages all day long.

House Association | Bamboo Lodge

6 September – At House Association, it’s not about cramming in as many sensory stimuli as possible per minute. The collective longs to return to the raw, intimate core of house music: a space where the music takes the lead, sets tell a story and good sound is taken seriously. No rushing from hit to hit, but a night that’s allowed to build up gently and eventually really take off. Exactly the sort of party where you pop in for a single drink and don’t look at the clock again until hours later.

Intercell | The Future

19 September – For its first Groningen edition, Intercell is heading to De Toekomst in Scheemda on Saturday 19 September. This is not just any event venue, but a restored listed building where the old steam boilers, iron roof trusses and millstones still stand in their original places. Amidst this industrial heritage, performers including Job Jobse, Doudou MD, Sam Alfred and LAMMER b2b SAIDAH will be taking to the decks. The party runs from 1.00 pm to 11.00 pm. Special shuttle buses will run from Groningen station to the venue and back.

PEGASSI | KopjeK

24 September – Summer may be almost over, but KopjeK has one more cracking finale lined up for Thursday 24 September. PEGASSI will be taking to the Drafbaan from 4.00 pm for a special September edition. The Belgian DJ and producer moves effortlessly between trance, eurodance, techno and house: fast-paced, melodic and made for a dance floor that just won’t stop. One last big leap before Groningen heads into autumn.