Cultural events

Maaiveld Festival Over two days, you can enjoy more than 25 performances, shows and events at various venues across the city centre. National and local artists combine music, dance, theatre and the visual arts in unusual and unique ways. The programme features not only the big names, but the festival also provides a platform for new, up-and-coming and local artists.

In 2025, Apeldoorn was the first host city for the national event ‘DE OPENING’, marking the start of the cultural season. We’re continuing this tradition locally. On the last weekend of August, Apeldoorn will kick off the cultural year in festive style with music, theatre and a bustling city centre.

The Royal Light Festival is a light art festival that combines culture, innovative art and the historical story of Apeldoorn. The light artworks cast a unique light on Apeldoorn and, together, tell the story of the city: a place surrounded by greenery with a rich, royal past.

During Culture in Your Neighbourhood (Amateur) artists perform free of charge at unexpected venues across the municipality, such as in living rooms and gardens. Visitors can enjoy the performances and shows free of charge, and artists can register via the website to perform for free.

Every year in June, the Orpheus Theatre hosts the Cultural Square Market. Come and meet the many amateur performers during their performances and at their stalls, and discover the finest artists at the market itself during this free event.

On summer Sunday afternoons in June, July and August, you can enjoy free performances in Apeldoorn at the Bandstand in the Oranjepark. A variety of musical acts will be performing whilst you enjoy a bite to eat and a drink.

For over fifty years, it has been offering Cultural Café an open stage for performers and artists. Cabaret, dance, literature and music are all featured, and visual artists can also showcase their work there. Special events are organised for young people and children.

Every year, Apeldoorn takes part in the Pop Tour. Popronde is an initiative of the Popwaarts Foundation in collaboration with 3FM and is a nationwide touring festival that takes place every autumn, from September to November, in around 40 towns and cities across the country. Discover up-and-coming pop talent at surprising venues in Apeldoorn.

Ateliers Apeldoorn Foundation has been organising the Open Atelier Route for over 25 years. For a whole weekend, art lovers can visit one venue after another to enjoy visual art and chat with the artists. Participants include both professional artists and those who are not (yet) professional. This results in a very varied programme every year.

Zandhegge is a small-scale festival featuring acoustic music at a country estate in Wenum-Wiesel. The festival showcases singer-songwriters, jazz and classical music in an (almost) unamplified setting.