From the 24th to the 26th of May, the streets of Leeuwarden will be transformed into one big stage during the Fries Straatfestival.
The festival, which has been held in Leeuwarden since 2001, is a mix of art installations, musical performances and street theatre, all performed by local and international artists. The annual event takes place during the last weekend in May and brings culture to the streets of the city centre of the Frisian capital.
This year’s edition will feature 24 different venues, from musical acts playing at local hotels and public squares to theatre performances around every corner. Food trucks will be scattered across the centre selling sweet treats and savoury snacks. Depending on the famously unpredictable Dutch weather, Leeuwarden news blog Suksawat reports that previous editions of the festival have drawn up to 600,000 visitors.
On Friday night, a handful of musical acts from a range of genres will kick off the three-day festival this year: Newärk (a.k.a. Funkanizers) and and Three Little Clouds will bring the funk, and The Max Meser Group, led by Catalonian-Dutch vocalist Max Meser, will embody the spirit of Britpop at the Governeursplein. Drenthe-based singer-songwriter Hannah Mae will channel Taylor Swift vibes, Frisian self-described slacker JSSY will defy genre and The Hillbilly Moonshiners will give a bluegrass twang to beloved modern pop hits at Hotel Het Anker.
Rounding out the programme on Friday, a theatre group with Frisian roots, Troubamour, will lead a “voyeuristic mime performance” at a secret location in the city on Friday night, and Houskamer Soundsystem will lead the afterparty at the Klokplein and Club Hemmingway.
Check out fries-straatfestival.nl for the full weekend programme, or you can pick up a printed programme from De Harmonie and other locations in the Leeuwarden city centre.
Photo source: Fries Straatfestival / Facebook
