Exciting and accessible events this winter (2017-2018)
Blog
Do you want to visit the Netherlands in the winter months, but have no idea what for accessible events to visit? We have decided to search suitable and fun events that are perfect for a winter holiday! Below you will find a list of fun and accessible events that could be interesting for you.
Ice sculpture festival Zwolle
Each year you will find the biggest ice sculpture festivals of Europe in the city of Zwolle. More than 40 of the worlds’ best ice sculptors will work to create the most unique sculptures you have ever seen. All sculptures are based on a special theme chosen by the participants. This year’s theme is ‘Once upon a time’ and will take place from the 23rd of December until the 4th of March.
The festival is located in the Ishallen in Zwolle This location is accessible for visitors with wheelchairs or mobility scooters. There are various toilets available for people with limited mobility and there are accessible parking spaces available. Lastly, it is also possible for people with visual impairments to visit the event. On some specific days, it’s possible to touch the sculptures.
ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament
The biggest indoor tennis tournament is organized each year in Rotterdam. Every year the conference center Ahoy is transformed into a huge indoor tennis court. The court is the center stage of exciting battles between famous tennis stars. The 45th edition of the event will take place from 12th of February until the 18th of February, 2018.
The tournament will take place in Ahoy conference center. The center has many facilities for people with limited mobility. This includes special parking places, taxi stands next to the main entrance, various wheelchair friendly lifts, and adapted toilets. Last but not least, there are also special wheelchair seating locations. Get your tickets here.
It’s also important to mention that the biggest tennis wheelchair tournament of the Netherlands was organized by the same organization, but that there is no information available of a potential repeat this year
Art Rotterdam Week
In the cold winter months of February, you can visit the biggest contemporary art festival of Rotterdam! The 3 biggest contemporary art exhibitions of the Netherlands will be open for public. Last year more than 26.000 visitors got to experience wonderful pieces of art. The art festival will take place from the 11th of February until the 18th at more than 25 locations throughout the City. A few of the major locations are the Van Nellefabriek, Kuntshal Rotterdam, and the Nederlands Photo museum. Examples of these major exhibitions are the private collections of surrealism art of several collectors.
The major locations are wheelchair friendly, however, the smaller pop-up locations could be less accessible.
Christmas markets Dordrecht and Maastricht.
Lastly, what is Winter without visiting a wonderful Christmas market? While you won’t find a huge Christmas market in Amsterdam there are various big Christmas markets in other cities. The biggest Christmas market in the Netherlands can be found in the old city center of Dordrecht. This city is located close to Rotterdam and just 1 hour from Amsterdam by car. This 3-day Christmas market consists of 200 stalls and is almost 2.5 kilometers long. Accessible parking is available nearby the market.
The second major Christmas market is located in the picturesque city of Maastricht. While this market is not as big as other ones, it is located on the beautiful Market Square. As the market square is surrounded by historic buildings (think about Brussels or Brugge), many restaurants are not wheelchair friendly and as such, it can be difficult to find wheelchair accessible toilets. However, on this website, you can find a list that might be helpful. (https://www.visitmaastricht.com/)