What to do in Groningen?

Once a year, during the traditional 'Pinksterfeesten' (Whitsun festivities), it is party time for four days in the village of Zoutkamp. The high point of the fisheries party, celebrated since the 16th century, is 'Vlaggetjesdag' (Flags Day).

Most people only know the beautiful landscape to the north of the city of Groningen from the car or bike. However, there will soon be a unique opportunity to experience this great region in a different way, by sailing along the Groningen waterways. This year, the 'Noordelijk Scheepvaartmuseum' (Northern Shipping Museum) together with VVV Lauwersland (tourist information) and 'Da´s ja Goud' will organise a series of Ferry Services over the Boterdiep waterway to Bedum and Onderdendam.

Crossing the border by bike? The recently developed Eems Dollard route planner makes this possible. On the www.ems-dollart-routenplaner.de site you can easily plan a bicycle route that will also pass through the Netherlands.

May is the Cycling Month and for cycling enthusiasts Groningen is the right place to be.

A large number of cycle routes (fietsroutes) can be found on fietsen.groningen.nl. These include the G7 Routes, but also a number of new cycling routes through the province, which can be downloaded for free. These routes, seven in total, are the most popular cycling routes of fanatical cyclists from Groningen who know the region - or part of it - like the back of their hand.
 

In the past, a regular ferry sailed between Groningen and Schiermonnikoog. This ferry will be reinstated making it possible the coming summer to sail between Groningen and Lauwersoog.

This year, Groningen will once again be hosting a Modeparade. For the second year in a row, Groningen’s historic centre will be awash with fashion. The Modeparade has been scheduled for Sunday 1 September.

It’s the largest uninterrupted walking network in the Netherlands: Waddenwandelen. This network comprises some 1,200 km of walking routes in Groningen, Friesland, Noord-Holland and the Wadden Islands. Across beaches and dikes, along the coastline, through higher-lying areas, the wierden, woodlands and dunes, and through fields of rapeseed and wheat.

According to the Royal Dutch touring Club (ANWB) and its German sister organisation ADAC, two Groningen campsites are among the 144 best sites in Europe. The sites in question are Kampeerterrein Jachthaven Meerwijck in Kropswolde and Camping Lauwersoog in Lauwersoog.

The latest edition of Groningen Magazine is out. This colourful magazine published by Groningen’s Tourist Information Office is chock-full of information on both Groningen city and province.

Every last Saturday of the month, both this year and next, the church in Scheemda is the setting for a series of piano concerts, an event entitled ‘Weltklassik am Klavier’.

This is the first four-day winter walking event in the Netherlands: the Noorderrondtochten (Northern Round Trips), the first of which will be held from 24 through 27 January 2013

The Groninger Museum is hosting a display of work by Chinese artist Yin Xiuzhen, her first major solo exhibition. Yin has made a cityscape of Groningen, specially for the exhibition, made of clothing worn by citizens of the city. The event runs until 18 November.

Shops in Groningen city centre regularly open on Sunday. In spring and summer, they are open on 4 March, 25 March, 1 April, 6 May, 3 June, 2 September and 30 September from noon until 5 pm.

During the weekend of 12 and 13 May, the fortified town of Bourtange returns to former days when the ‘Slag om Bourtange’ (Battle of Bourtange) is re-enacted. The city returns to the year 1814, the Napoleonic era.

The weekend of 14 and 15 April is the Museum weekend in the Netherlands. True to tradition, many Groningen museums participate.