Hoera! The Dutch Food and Culture Festival is back for 2019

Posted on 17 April, 2019

After an enormously successful event in 2018, Canberra’s orange-est festival is back on 28th April for another huge day of Dutch food, festivities and cultural appreciation.

Showing that The Netherlands is more than just tulips, canals and very thin houses, the Dutch Food and Culture Festival is a way for the Dutch community to share their rich and diverse culture with Canberra while also celebrating King’s Day—or Oranjefeest—one of the country’s biggest annual celebrations.

Taking place on Sunday 28 April at Albert Hall, Dutch food enthusiasts will be excited to know that deliciousness will again be taking centre stage at the Festival, with everyone’s favourite tiny Dutch pancakes poffertjes offered alongside lesser known (but just as tasty) dishes such as fresh oliebollen, hot stroopwafels, bitterballen, croquettes—and the perfect autumn snack—hot fries with mayonnaise. Of course, you’ll still have a spare hand as you cradle your stroopwafel, so why not accompany your lunch with a wine from Mount Majura or a craft beer from Plonk?

But you’re not just there to simply indulge in Dutch culinary delights, are you? You want to learn about The Netherland’s extensive and fascinating cultural heritage. Luckily, there will be representation from every pocket of traditional and modern Dutch culture at the Festival, with performances by a Dutch choir, a folk dance group, a miniature street organ, Dutch party games (‘sjoelen’) and a very special program of films focussed on Dutch/Australian relations presented by the National Film and Sound Archive.

If your fondest memories of travelling to the Netherlands focus squarely on nightlife, you’ll be able to relive them with a DJ showcase of Dutch EDM, Funk, Groove and even music from the Netherlands Antilles, while outside there will be plenty of ways to keep kids (and kids-at-heart) occupied, including an obstacle course, flash mob dances, a face painter,  Dutch games and air bikes.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for Dutch Australians to share a taste of our heritage with those in Canberra who may not have had the opportunity to experience it, and for those with a hidden Dutch heritage to discover more about it,” says Festival Committee President, Maurits de Graeff, whose family moved to Australia in 2009.

All proceeds from the day will go to the St Nicholas Young Carer’s Program, which has supported carers aged nine-17 years locally for the past 15 years. Run by St Vincent de Paul Society Australia, ‘St Nicks’ supports young people caring for family members with chronic illness, disability, infirmity or dependence with respite and recreation activities.

This support speaks to the heart of the Festival – the bringing together of community and family in celebration of a rich and diverse culture. Don’t miss your chance to experience it next weekend.

the essentials

What: The Dutch Food and Culture Festival
When: Sunday 28 April from 10 am – 4 pm
Where: Albert Hall, Commonwealth Avenue, Yarralumla
Cost: Free
More information: oranjefeestcanberra.org or Facebook

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