Amsterdam to mark finale of 750th anniversary with live concert

Amsterdam will mark the finale of its 750th anniversary on Monday, October 27, with a large live concert: the National Celebration Amsterdam 750 Years. The musical grand finale will be broadcast live on television in the evening.

Artists will perform in “surprising duos,” according to the organizers, and the program will be “diverse: from classical to pop, from Dutch-language songs to dance.” Among the performers are Yves Berendse, Karsu, Kris Kross Amsterdam, Maan, and Wibi Soerjadi.

They will perform on a stage in a tent at Museumplein, as well as at other “iconic” locations around the city. The audience in the tent at Museumplein will consist of “Amsterdammers who have actively contributed to activities during the anniversary year.”

The day will start on Dam Square with a 750-meter-long cake, which will be cut by the city’s mayor, Femke Halsema, at 7:50 a.m. The pieces of cake will be handed out to the passersby and nearby residents.

Also on that day, the new multimedia model of Amsterdam will open in the Zuiveringshal at the Westergasterrein. Visitors will be taken through the city’s history via projections and sound effects, “from a village on the Amstel in 1275 to the metropolis of tomorrow,” according to the organizers.

Additionally, various festivities will take place over the preceding weekend, including Heel Amsterdam Eet!, where people can enjoy affordable meals at long communal tables.

The celebration of Amsterdam’s anniversary began in October of last year. Several celebratory events have taken place since then, including the opening concert on October 27, 2024, in the Ziggo Dome, the Festival on the Ring, and a special edition of Sail.

October 27, 1275, is seen as the birth date of Amsterdam. On that day, Count Floris V of Holland granted a toll privilege to the residents of the small settlement of “Amestelledamme.”