With flashing lights and the well-known sound, the fair in Edam starts today. Not much later, namely the following weekend, fairground enthusiasts in Volendam can also indulge themselves. With a café tent this year in the center of Edam and a real fair festival in the adjacent fishing village, there are some changes during the annual events.
The festivities are the first to erupt in Edam. From today, the fair is open until Sunday from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. The attractions are located on the Damplein, the Cheese Market and the Baanstraat.
Cafe tent in Edam
And this year there is also a fairground tent in Edam. This year not outside the city walls, but right in the center. “Where the former Café De Boei was located on the Hoogstraat, there will be a one-off fairground tent, space for around 300 partygoers,” says co-organizer Nikki de Graaf. “Unique, because it is now in the old bowl, on the site of café De Boei. That is why the name café tent De Boei.”
The site that once housed the café and snack bar broke ground in November 2017 a big fire out. It has been a wasteland ever since. “I think we will have to look for a new location for the tent next year, because something new may be built here soon. But we will see that again next year.”
Stamps and wristbands
Young people aged 18 to 25 are required to get a stamp in Edam and to wear a wristband at the fair in Volendam. This is an initiative of Horeca Edam-Volendam, with the support of the municipality. The wristband and stamp are intended to prevent alcohol consumption among minors and to facilitate age verification.
“The stamps can be obtained in the café tent and in any other café in Edam,” says Nikki. “The tent in Edam is eighteen plus,” she emphasizes. Why they have stamps in Edam and not in Volendam is because the turnout in Edam is smaller. “But no less cozy.”
To obtain a wristband for the Volendammer fair, you can visit the PX (1st floor) in Volendam on Tuesday 5 September, Wednesday 6 September and Thursday 7 September between 3 and 9 pm. You can pick up a band there.
Text continues below photo.
Festival on the Slobbeland
A week later, from Friday 8 to Monday 11 September, it is a fair in Volendam. The attractions are located in the old center on the Amvo site, Europaplein, in the Zeestraat, CJ Conijnstraat and Jozefstraat.
And there is a festival tent on the Slobbeland (recreation park at the bottom of the dike in Volendam). There was one last year hope squabbles about the carnival tents in Volendam. A survey among residents followed and finally the decision was made for one festival tent on the Slobbeland.
For those who do not want to go to the fair in Edam or Volendam, there is also a fair in Zaandam. The fair at the Burcht is this year from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 September. On Saturday, the fair is open from 13:00 to 14:00 for people who want to make use of the low-stimulus fair.