Back to the Origins with the Amsterdam Root Festival
The Amsterdam Root Festival is one of the most awaited international events of Netherlands’ summer. The 28th edition of this festival will be held in Amsterdam from June 22th to 26th.
During this long weekend, many concerts will take place at various locations in the city of Amsterdam, in addition to a major closing event in the open air of Oosterpark (Roots Open Air) with free admission. Performances will be divided across several podiums set up in the park, offering a great variety of music from around the world. The Amsterdam Roots Festival stands out for its ability to present artistic talents in a crossover between different cultures and styles.
Far from conveying the perception of World Music, the first edition of the Amsterdam Roots Festival dates back to 1983, when it was still called Africa Roots Festival, and it started in the Melkweg. African pop music slowly spread over the country, and people liked it!
By 1987, during the celebrations of Amsterdam Capitol of Culture, the same Melkweg organised Amsterdam Roots Meeting ’87, a large-scale feast with music from around the world. Little by little, the diverse nationals living in the Netherlands begun to recognize themselves in this new conception of music: this is how the Amsterdam World Roots Festival has come to life.
Nowadays the festival attracts about 60.000 visitors, 50.000 of which attending Roots Open Air, and has become one of the biggest world music festivals in the Netherlands.
The scheduled program for the 2011 edition includes something like 60 concerts, with performances by international stars in the Tropentheater (June 22 and 25), Sugar Factory (June 23), Paradiso (June 24), Melkweg (June 25). And then, on Sunday the 26th, the festival closes with the free Roots Open Air, in the Oosterpark. Inti Illimani & Eva Ayllon, Brazilian Caravan, Imam Baildi, Manolito y su Trabuco are some of the artists that have confirmed their participation to the festival.
In addition to musical performances, the Amsterdam Roots Open Air will feature also more than 100 stands of organizations and institutions active in the world of music and non-western culture, some of which including interesting culinary products.
Apart from Roots Open air – which is free – tickets for other concerts can be purchased also online. Presales are often available on the spots only at the night of show.
Photo by bartvanpoll
About the Author
Andrea Guerriero Hi, I'm Andrea, a travel blogger, web programmer, seo apprentice and amateur photographer based in Milan. I love reading, I love music. I love to travel but only if I leave on a mission! I've been traveling through most of Europe and I love writing about it. I love photography, especially as a way to document experiences, places, events. My Nikon D300 camera is always with me, and it helps me in sharing my life with the rest of the world. Getting in touch with new people, different life styles and foreign traditions, and write about it, is all I can ask for.
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