Zaanse Schans Events
Zaanse Schans Events: moments that connect!
The Zaanse Schans hosts large and small events, each with its own character, atmosphere and target audience. Events about the Zaanse Schans or at a heritage location. The events at the Zaanse Schans not only strengthen the bond with visitors from the region, but also contribute to the vibrancy of our unique Zaan heritage. The combination of tradition, culture and experience ensures that the stories of the Zaan region remain alive and relevant, even for new generations.
Zaanse Schans events such as Pinksterzaan, Optimist on Tour, Folklore Day and the Pre-run Dam tot Damloop offer varied experiences throughout the year. From historical crafts and traditional costumes to sporting events and children’s activities on the water: each event showcases a different facet of Zaan heritage and the Zaan region. This means that heritage is not only viewed but also experienced.
Pinksterzaan, Optimist on Tour and the Pre-run Dam tot Dam are organised by external partners and are regular fixtures on the Zaanse Schans events calendar. Folklore Day is an initiative of the OVZS business association, in collaboration with the Zaanse Schans Foundation, and is a cultural highlight that combines hospitality and history.
In addition to the regular events, smaller and larger activities organised by heritage organisations take place at the Zaanse Schans throughout the year. These include anniversary weekends organised by the De Zaansche Molen association or lectures at the Zaans Museum, World of Windmill museum and Zaan Time Museum. These events offer visitors a deeper insight into the heritage and history of the Zaan region, the world behind the monumental buildings, the crafts and industrial history of Western Europe.
Pinksterzaan
Pinksterzaan: celebrating freedom at the Zaanse Schans, where the Spanish Fort once stood.
During Pinksterzaan, we celebrate freedom at the Zaanse Schans. The Spanish Schans, a military stronghold dating from 1574, once stood on the site of the Zaanse Schans, which later became a symbol of resistance and liberation. In this spirit, Pinksterzaan has grown into a colourful and unifying event for young and old alike.
Whit Monday is the perfect opportunity to experience the historic heritage of the Zaan region: visitors can wander past stalls selling local products, discover traditional Dutch crafts, enjoy live performances and take part in children’s activities, workshops and street theatre. For one day, the Zaanse Schans is transformed into a vibrant meeting place full of music, creativity and connection. A contemporary celebration of freedom with deep historical roots.
Optimist on Tour Zaanse Schans
Optimist on Tour: Water sports for young adventurers.
During Optimist on Tour, children from the region are introduced to sailing in an accessible, playful and safe way, amidst the unique backdrop of the Zaanse Schans. The national programme of the Watersportverbond (Water Sports Association) comes to the Zaan region every year, where young participants take to the water in Optimists, small sailing boats. With a view of turning windmills and historic buildings, they learn to steer, tack and work together.
In addition to sailing, there are interactive games and educational activities about water safety and sustainability, as well as plenty of opportunity for sporting discovery. Optimist on Tour lets children literally feel the wind in their sails, in a place where water has been central for centuries.
Folklore Day
Folklore Day Zaanse Schans: a day filled with lively singing, dancing, and music in traditional costumes
Folklore Day: take a step back in time during this event at the Zaanse Schans. During Folklore Day, the Zaanse Schans comes to life with colourful traditional regional costumes, music and dance from times past, and traditional crafts. The fire brigade gives its annual demonstration from the fire brigade museum, which is open especially for Folklore Day. Visitors will meet folklore groups from all over the Netherlands.
This day is all about storytelling: traditional customs, family traditions, and the history of the Zaan region. Watch demonstrations of lace-making, batik, and woodcarving, and stroll through the charming market. The market stalls are filled with products and creations that reflect traditional crafts, such as paintings, woodcarvings, textiles, screen prints, and traditional craftsmanship.
Folklore Day is a celebration for young and old, a great event at the Zaanse Schans and a unique opportunity to see what daily life used to be like in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
Pre-run Dam tot Dam
Pre-run Dam tot Damloop, een unieke hardloopwedstrijd over de Zaanse Schans
The pre-run of the Dam tot Damloop is a sportive race held one week prior to one of the largest running events in the Netherlands, the Dam tot Damloop. Le Champion has been organising this fantastic event for years, on the last Friday evening of August, with 1,000 runners participating annually.
The runners start at Kalverringdijk for an atmospheric and motivating route along the Zaanse Schans and Enge Wormer, before returning to the finish line along the authentic windmill panorama with the Zaanse Molens. The run is divided into 3.5 English miles (5.6 km) and 7 English miles (11.3 km). These are ideal distances to prepare for your Damloop by night and the NN Dam tot Damloop.
The combination of historic surroundings and sporting energy creates a unique experience. Whether you come to run or cheer, the pre-run exudes enthusiasm and connects people through movement.
Zaanse Schans events calendar
De Koker Mill - Lecture by miller Ton Leegwater
Zaansche Molen 100th jubilee
Folklore Day
Folklore Day Zaanse Schans
Mill Het Jonge Schaap: youth festival, ‘Without youth, there is no future!’
Mill Het Jonge Schaap: youth festival, ‘Without youth, there is no future!’
Zaansche Molen 100th jubilee – Mill Het Jonge Schaap 16 and 17 August youth festival ‘Without youth, no future’. Read more.
Pre-run Dam to Damloop
Pre-run Dam tot Damloop organised by Le Champion.
Open Monuments Days
Mill De Schoolmeester and Mill De Jonge Dirk | 100 Years Jubilee Zaansche Molen
Zaansche Molen 100th anniversary – Molen De Schoolmeester and Molen De Jonge Dirk celebration weekend at the windmills
Mill De Schoolmeester and Mill De Jonge Dirk | 100 Years Jubilee Zaansche Molen
Zaansche Molen 100th anniversary – Molen De Schoolmeester and Molen De Jonge Dirk celebration weekend at the windmills
Zaanse Mills Day
All windmills of the World of Windmills (Vereniging de Zaansche Molen) are open.
Zaans Museum De waterzoon – lecture by Eva Vriend
Writer Eva Vriend talks about her essay for History Month: De Waterzoon. Register via Zaans Museum
World of Windmills Museum | IFIKS festival
The annual IFIKZ festival takes place during the 100 year Jubilee – anniversary year of Vereniging de Zaansche Molen around the World of Windmills Museum.
World of Windmills Museum | IFIKS festival
The annual IFIKZ festival takes place during the 100 year Jubilee – anniversary year of Vereniging de Zaansche Molen around the World of Windmills Museum.
Stories from the Schans - lecture
Museum Zaanse Tijd – “Liquid time” theme: not every hour seems to last the same amount of time, so why do we pretend that it does? More information and registration will follow soon.
Night-time boat trip through the Kalverpolder
From the boarding point next to the Zaans Museum, visitors can cruise into the Kalverpolder after dark. The polder is bustling with activity not only during the day but also at night. There is much to discover, and you will experience how special and beautiful the night can be. For more information and to register, please visit Zaans Museum
Zaans Museum We and Water – lecture by Prof. Dr. Lotte Jensen
During this lecture, Lotte Jensen, professor of Dutch literature and cultural history at the Radboud University, will talk about the cultural significance of disasters. She will show how flood disasters could evoke not only fear and loss, but also resilience and solidarity. For more information and to register, visit the Zaans Museum website.
TV programme Tussen Kunst & Kitch visits the Zaans Museum
The experts from the TV programme Tussen Kunst en Kitsch (Between Art and Kitsch) will hunt for unique objects at the Zaan Museum, each with its own story and sometimes of unexpected value. More information and registration Zaans Museum
Zaanse Schans events: moments that connect
The Zaanse Schans is not an event location where anything goes. There is a selective approach to what can and cannot take place at the Zaanse Schans. For more information about using the heritage site of Zaanse Schans for an event, please contact the Marketing & PR department by email at communicatie@dezaanseschans.nl or call +31 (0)75 681 77 97.
Experience more on the Zaanse Schans: culture, crafts and events. A visit to the Zaanse Schans is a journey through time. During Zaanse Schans events, our unique Zaan heritage comes to life. Amidst the wooden façades, working windmills and museums, you can experience the Zaan area as it was for centuries, driven by industry, trade and craftsmanship. Here, you can not only see how it was, you can experience it first-hand.
The Zaanse windmills are still in operation, sawing wood, pressing oil and grinding natural pigments for paint. In Tiemstra’s Coopery (cooperage), you can smell the wood and hear how barrels are made by hand. In the Weaver’s House, you can discover how families used to live and work under one roof while weaving sails. In the Styling-Chambres of the Noorderhuis on the Kalverringdijk, you can see the interior of a wealthy 19th-century Zaan merchant’s home, complete with original Empire-style details.
The Zaanse Schans events fit in perfectly with the historic perception. During Folklore Day, traditional costumes, old crafts and dance come together in a lively historical scene. There is also a market with crafts and regional products. On Whit Monday, we celebrate the freedom of the Zaankanters during Pinksterzaan with a colourful and unifying event for young and old. Optimist on Tour introduces children to water sports and teaches them about water safety and sustainability between the windmills and the Zaan. The Pre-run Dam tot Damloop offers sports enthusiasts a unique route through the historic heritage landscape in preparation for the NN Dam tot Dam loop.
In 2025, a fantastic collaboration with the Saree Walkathon was held at the Zaanse Schans. A colourful walk in where women in traditional sarees walk together to raise awareness about health, women’s care and empowerment. The Noorderhuis was opened especially for the Saree Walkathon to connect cultures. This international initiative connects culture and vitality in a unique way with the Zaan heritage history.
Whether you want to absorb culture, roll up your sleeves and get involved, or enjoy outdoor activities, the Zaanse Schans has it all. Combine your visit to an event with a visit to a museum, a demonstration in a craftcenter or a walk along the iconic windmill panorama of the World of Windmills. At the Zaanse Schans, history not only comes to life: it turns, claps, smells, tastes and works. Just like the old days back in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.
Zaanse Schans Events: moments that connect