I wanted to step back from expat experiences today to share a few links to Dutch events that are coming up in the US.
There’s an active cultural exchange between the Netherlands and America, so a taste of Dutch culture doesn’t just have to come from visits to Holland MI or the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Both are good, but other sources to keep an eye on include:
Orange Alert: The Cultural Department of the Dutch Embassy in New York maintains a blog with announcements of artists, architects, and designers presenting work throughout the US.
SICA: A joint project of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Stichting Internationale Culturele Activiteiten organization lists cultural event. These include art installations, theater performances, concerts, and events featuring Dutch artists and themes. Embassies also keep track of local events.
Bicycling events: Inevitably, the Dutch embassies also sponsor biking events across the US, often in association with Queen’s Day.
Dutch Performing Arts Events: This blog tracks theater and dance groups from the Netherlands that are making US tours.
CODART: An international network for museum curators of Dutch and Flanders artworks, their site highlights events and installations worldwide.
Dutch Days festivals: These are ethnic festivals in communities claiming strong Dutch heritage: besides Holland MI, examples can be found in Fulton IL (probably the best known except for Holland MI), Denver CO, Lynden WA (and many communities throughout Washington and Oregon), and Burlington ON (celebrating Canadian Netherlands Friendship days).
Local Dutch Expat groups: An up-to-date list of Dutch-in-America groups, with links to their various regional websites. This can often lead to one-off events (or to opportunities to mingle with native speakers for an evening). And, yes, several are having Queens Day celebrations this weekend (although likely without the rafts of drinking singers). Dutch in America also has a Facebook group that updates regularly.
And, for folks in (or visiting) the Netherlands, the ‘home Dutch’ festival list is here.
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with any of these organizations or events, and have neither been asked nor compensated to list these links.