It’s Sinterklaas today. I must say I *heart* the winter holiday season – the food, the decorations, the occasional gift, the gezelligheid! I’m even starting to enjoy the cold, can you believe it? Me neither. But that’s subject to a further blogpost. If you don’t have a program for tonight ( or if you already did the Sinterklaas thing during the weekend), you can go straight to today’s suggestion for the evening. Or just go on planning the rest of your cultural week. I’m super happy these suggestions might be of use!

Don’t forget that every event includes a link to its website, and free events are signaled as well. To get updates please like Amsterdive’s Facebook page. And if you did it already, you have a place in my heart, of course.

Mon, 5th, 19.15 | She’s gotta have it – Looking for America | EYE

Film. Spike Lee’s debut film was shot in 12 days, and he plays a role in it himself too. The entrance is free for those holding a We Are Public membership card.

Tue, 6th, 21.00 | PING PONG & Circus Hoppa’s Djimbolia | OT301

Ping pong night. Ping pong used to be a classic Tuesday program for me! Djimbolia’s balkan beats are the good excuse to go back for an evening of beers, good music, and of course, collective ping-pong madness.

Woe, 7th, 21.30 | Paris is burning – Looking for America | EYE

Film. Documentary about the so-called “drag balls” in the New York of the 80’s. An interesting document on the emancipation of Latin and Afro Americans, homo and transgender cultures. The entrance is free for those holding a We Are Public membership card.

Thu, 8th, 20.30 | De meiden – Toneelgroep Amsterdam | Stadsschowuburg

Theater. This is a try-out based on the classic Les Bonnes from Jean Genet, and directed by the English director Katie Mitchell. If you want to explore Dutch theater, I’d highly recommend you watching Toneelgroep Amsterdam works. The entrance is free for those holding a We Are Public membership card.

Fri, 9th, 20.00 | My True Story | Mezrab – donation based

Storytelling. Evening of true stories at the most wonderful of cultural organizations in Amsterdam. The podium is a big red carpet, there is home-made soup to accompany the stories, and the atmosphere is just lovely.

Sat, 10th, 22.00 | Balkan Beat Bar | OCCII

Party. The most well-known evening of balkan rhythms is back. And I don’t intend to miss it.

Sat, 10th, 23.00 | Alex Figueira | Pacific Parc

Party. And then I saw this event and I changed my mind. I’m going to Pacific instead, for some madness of hot rhythms.

Sun, 11th, 12.00 | Hiphop Museum | Troppenmuseum

Workshops + talks. When the anthropological museum of your city is hosting a day fully dedicated to the Hip Hop culture you don’t stay in the sofa, do you? The workshops are organized in collaboration with the HipHopHuis, and the entrance is free for Museum Card holders.

Sun, 11th, 12.00 | Christmas markets | different locations – free entrance

For the sake of a Christmas-markets overdose, all in the same day, here you go:

At the Westerpark – Funky Xmas Market

At the Haarlemmerbuurt – A taste of Christmas

At the Van der Helstplein – Wintermarkt

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For a complete cultural agenda, check the I amsterdam website. For alternative events in the city check radar.squat.