Sunday July 19, 2026
Good morning, Amsterdam. Today a sold-out underwater concert fills the Marnixbad, free classical music plays at the Vondelpark Openluchttheater, and more than 270,000 people have signed up for the €49 summer train ticket.
At a glance
⛅ Weather: Hi 21°C / 70°F (1° warmer than yesterday) · Lo 16°C / 61°F · 2% chance of rain · wind NW 21 km/h (11 knots)
🚲 Cycling: Great cycling weather all day.
🌙 Sun & moon: Sunrise 05:41 · Sunset 21:51 · Waxing Crescent · Moonrise 12:18 · Golden hour 21:21–21:51
🌊 Outdoors: Water 22°C / 72°F (swimmable) · Air quality: fair (AQI 21)
💶 Markets: AEX 1,092 (+0.6%) · S&P 500 7,458 (-1.6%) · €1 = $1.14 · $1 = €0.87
🏆 Dutch sport: Football: the Netherlands national team lost the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in East Rutherford, United States.
Piet Hein Tunnel closed with no reopening time yet: The Piet Hein Tunnel in East Amsterdam closed Saturday morning after camera feeds went down, and no reopening time has been set. About 30,000 vehicles use it daily, so expect knock-on traffic between the center and Zeeburgereiland. From ~10:30, Piet Heintunnel.
Sold-out underwater concert at the Marnixbad: Artists Pak Yan Lau, Thomas Jaspers, and Herman van den Muijsenberg stage an underwater concert at the Marnixbad this Sunday. Small groups enter the pool to hear how sound moves differently underwater, in a setup inspired by a Max Neuhaus piece from 48 years ago; it is fully sold out.
270,000 sign up for €49 summer train ticket: NS sold about 270,000 subscriptions in the first month of its €49 summer train ticket. The deal runs this summer only and is a practical option for day trips and weekends from Amsterdam.
Zuidasdok faces a €1.1 billion funding gap: Amsterdam's Zuidasdok plan, burying part of the A10, expanding Station Zuid, and making room for more trains and metro, is short at least €1.1 billion, with total costs now put at €5.4 billion or more. Key parts could stall this year unless the national government, city, and region agree on extra money.
Westpoort waste fire sends plastic smell across town: A fire at a waste facility on Vlothavenweg in Westpoort is sending a burned-plastic and chemical smell into Spaarndammerbuurt, the Houthavens, the Jordaan, and East. Firefighters advise closing windows and doors and switching off mechanical ventilation if it bothers you.
Variable gas prices climb about 7% this month: Energy firms raised variable gas contract prices by roughly 7% this month, putting rates about 12% above pre–Middle East war levels. That is worth noting if you are still on a variable plan.
Family picnic with games and food at Marineterrein: Pack a blanket for an afternoon of picnic games, food, and outdoor fun with local and international families at the Marineterrein. July 19, 15:00, Marineterrein. 📅 Outdoor / Active
Free chill-and-games afternoon for teens: Ages 12–18 can drop in for a free afternoon of hanging out and games at De Eester. July 19, 13:00–17:00, De Eester. 📅
ARTIS summer evenings run through late August: ARTIS hosts summer evenings with music, theater and magic at the zoo. Sessions run from 16:00 to 21:00 through August 29. 📅 Festival / Fair
MidzomerMokum offers free activities for kids and youth: Free summer activities for children and youth run for six weeks at spots across Zuidoost and Amsterdam. The program continues through August 16. Festival / Fair
Free puppet theater at ARTIS and Dam Square: Free puppet theater runs at ARTIS through August 29. Shows also take place daily from 13:00 to 16:30 at the Royal Palace on Dam Square through September 27. 📅 Family Show
Chamber music on the Muziekgebouw waterfront terrace: Nieuw Amsterdams Peil, piano, violin, and voice, performs contemporary chamber music on the waterfront terrace, with a program drawing on birdsong and folk traditions. July 19, 15:00, Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ. 📅
Free classical concert at Vondelpark Openluchttheater: Eidos Duo, Club Classique, Morgan, and Van Nee play a free open-air classical concert at the Vondelpark Openluchttheater. July 19, 12:00–13:30, Vondelpark Openluchttheater. 📅
Janna and Roosmarijn at Vondelpark Openluchttheater: Singer-songwriters Janna and Roosmarijn give an acoustic set at the open-air theater in the Vondelpark. July 19, 15:00, Vondelpark Openluchttheater. 📅
Chef'Special plays Amsterdamse Bostheater: Dutch indie-pop band Chef'Special takes the stage for an open-air concert at the Amsterdamse Bostheater. July 19, Amsterdamse Bostheater.
Emma Nissen plays her album MOVED acoustically: Singer-songwriter Emma Nissen gives an intimate acoustic performance drawn from her second album MOVED. July 19, 19:30, Zonnehuis. 📅
World Cup final live screening at Paradiso: The FIFA World Cup Final is shown live on a big screen in Paradiso's main hall. July 19, doors 19:00, main program 21:00, Paradiso. Sports (Spectator)
Argentine food fest and football watch party: La Peña turns its space into an Argentine celebration with hand-crafted empanadas, alfajores, Fernet con Coca, and Malbec, followed by a football watch party. July 19–20, 18:00, Wanakam. 📅 Food / Markets
World Cup final on giant screen at WestWeelde: The World Cup final is shown on a massive screen at WestWeelde for anyone who wants to watch with other fans. July 19, 19:30–23:59, WestWeelde, Westergas. 📅 Sports (Spectator)
Georgie's Wundergarten Festival comes to Ruigoord: Georgie's Wundergarten Festival is on at Ruigoord, with multi-genre music stages and art installations. July 19, Ruigoord. 📅 Festivals
South Asian Salon Festival at Wanakam: This festival brings together live art, performances, and community sharing in a celebration of South Asian culture. July 19, 15:00, Wanakam. 📅 Festivals
Sardinian pasta-making workshop followed by lunch: Learn to make traditional Sardinian pasta around the table, then share lunch with authentic regional wines. July 19, 12:00, Koninginneweg 273. 📅 Tasting
Build a bag from upcycled festival banners: Turn discarded outdoor festival banners into a personalized, durable bag at this hands-on crafting session. July 19, 13:30, Studio Fiep, Ouderkerkerlaan. 📅 Workshop
Walking tour through Amsterdam's oldest quarters: This relaxed social walk moves through Nes, Zeedijk, and Chinatown, sharing stories of old monasteries and hidden churches along the way. July 19, 10:00, Beursplein. 📅 Tour
Offline reading party and book swap in Oost: Lock your phone away, bring a book and optionally one to swap, and spend a quiet, device-free afternoon reading with other book lovers. July 19, 14:00, The 5th, Amsterdam Oost. 📅 Games / Hobbies
Volunteer at Elixer's garden and earn a pint: Help put the finishing touches on the local community garden at Elixer, then enjoy a cold pint as a reward. July 19, 14:00, Restaurant Elixer. 📅 Volunteering
Creative coding social at Hannekes Boom: An informal meetup by the water for creative coders, artists, and digital enthusiasts to chat about projects, code, and ideas. July 19, 13:00, Hannekes Boom. 📅 Social / Drinks
Indie game developers meet at De Nieuwe Anita: A relaxed meetup for indie game developers, artists, and musicians. Bring a laptop or notes if you want to show a project, get feedback, or run a playtest. July 19, 13:30, De Nieuwe Anita. 📅 Networking
Crypto investors use foreign IDs to bypass rules: Some investors buy a second identity card in Palau or forge passports with AI to reach unregulated crypto exchanges that offer high-risk products. The AFM is concerned. Business News
Merwedebrug closed to freight for safety reasons: The Merwedebrug near Gorinchem is temporarily closed to truck traffic after an inspection found it insufficiently safe. The restriction is tied to structural safety concerns. Business News
Readers debate the Zuidas as a simplifying symbol: Letter writers react to a sharp column on working in the Zuidas, plus home batteries, Tata Steel’s future, and heat-stress reporting. For many, the Zuidas has become a symbol that invites oversimplification. Business News
Rialto plans multi-floor cinema in Zeeburgereiland silo: Film theater Rialto will open a multi-floor cinema in the silo on Zeeburgereiland after the summer. The plans include screens along with a bar, restaurant, and terrace. Venue / Space
Regus opens new workspace at Orato Offices: IWG is opening a new Regus flexible workspace inside the Orato Offices building, adding another remote-work option in Amsterdam. Venue / Space
Café Susy opens in Amsterdam: Café Susy is a new café that has recently opened in Amsterdam. Details are still limited. Bar / Café
K-Beauty Store: Tamar (25) has opened a pink-from-floor-to-ceiling Korean beauty shop on the Heiligeweg: products arranged in skincare-routine order, K-beauty favorites and a photobooth at the back of the store. Shop / Store
WOPL World of Play and Learning: New interactive play world where children discover water, building and art through play, with a large outdoor terrace and a family cafe for coffee, lunch or drinks. Venue / Space
Good to know
New on Dutch streaming: The Post (Netflix), Silo S3 (Apple TV+), Hit Man (HBO Max), The Agency S2 (SkyShowtime) 🎬
Today’s supermarket deals: Ben & Jerry's cookie dough (2 for €7.89) from Albert Heijn, Grolsch or Peroni alcohol-free beer (50% off) from Jumbo.
Did you know? Until 1987, many houses along the canals continued discharging wastewater directly into the water.
89 years ago today: On July 19th, 1937, artist Max Beckmann fled Germany and arrived in Amsterdam after Germany's attack on so-called degenerate art.
Adoptable pet of the day: Meet Minoeska, a 3-year-old cat at De Poezenboot. In tomorrow’s edition: France vs. Spain World Cup semi-final on the giant screen at Marktplein Westergas, ARTIS Summer Evenings with music theater and magic at the zoo, and Martin Parr's Very Modern and Rather Ugly at FOAM.
Enjoy the quiet of a Sunday. See you tomorrow.
