On Whit Monday, the first edition of the Asser City Festival will take place in the center of Assen. Visitors can enjoy music, food trucks, a market and a specially designed children’s square.
The organization is in the hands of Ruben Neehoff and Jeffrey Mol from Emmen. They transform the Brink into a festival site with two stages, food stalls and various activities for young and old.
The program starts at 11 a.m. with a market, after which the food trucks open around noon. During the day there will be performances by bands, singers and DJs. Including Robert van Hemert, Bizzey, Vangrail, Yes-R and Smeltkroes.
Neehoff and Mol have extensive experience with events in Emmen, such as the Vier Mijl, C’est la Vie and the Gouden Pijl. They also own cocktail bar Tranquilo, Club Limbo and party café De Fuif.
According to Neehoff, the move to Assen was a logical one: “The collaboration with the municipality of Emmen is good, but we were reaching the limits there. There is simply no more room for additional events in the center.”
In Assen, the organizers see plenty of possibilities. “We want to create an accessible festival with a broad program,” says Neehoff. “It should be attractive to everyone, regardless of age or background.”
Admission is free, although according to the organization this does entail risks. “It is exciting, but we have a lot of confidence in it. The Assen Entrepreneurs Fund and the municipality support us financially,” says Neehoff.
If the first edition is successful on May 24, the organizers hope to organize the festival again in 2027. “Then we will see if we can expand it further, for example to a full Pentecost weekend.”
