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Refreshing drinks on a terrace in Leiden's city centre

Events in Leiden — the yearly calendar of the City of Keys

Leiden celebrates all year round. This page collects the events that return every single year, so you can plan a visit around them. Each event has its own page with what to expect, where it happens and how to get there.

The event year, month by month

These festivals return every single year. Exact dates shift annually, so check the event's official site shortly before your visit.

  1. January

    Quiet, crisp winter days: museums without queues and misty canals.

    No fixed city festival — a calm month for museums and canals.

    • Museums without waiting
    • New Year's dip at the coast
    • Winter walk past the hofjes

  2. February

    Short but atmospheric: mostly indoors, with the first spring bulbs in the Hortus.

    No fixed city festival — a calm month for museums and canals.

    • Hortus botanicus under glass
    • Indoor Rembrandt route
    • Early snowdrops and crocuses

  3. March

    The city wakes up: terraces open and the first tulips in the region.

    No fixed city festival — a calm month for museums and canals.

    • Keukenhof season starts
    • Terraces along the Nieuwe Rijn
    • Windmills turning again

  4. April

    Peak month for tulips and day trips — book tickets ahead.

    No fixed city festival — a calm month for museums and canals.

    • Keukenhof at its best
    • King's Day in the old town
    • Canal cruise through the centre

  5. May

    Long evenings, full terraces and the start of festival season.

    No fixed city festival — a calm month for museums and canals.

    • Liberation Day programme
    • Cycling the bulb fields
    • Picnic in the Leidse Hout

  6. June

    Summer city with open-air stages and street music.

    • Leidse LakenfeestenLeidse Lakenfeesten: free city festival in June with stages on the canals, the illuminated boat parade, markets and street theatre in central Leiden.
    • Festivals in the old town
    • Swimming in the Kaag lakes
    • Sunset canal cruise

  7. July

    Holiday month: outdoor festivals, water and late terraces.

    • WerfpopWerfpop is Leiden's free music festival in the Leidse Hout park: several stages, Dutch and international acts, held every year in July.
    • Open-air concerts
    • Rent a SUP or a boat
    • Museum gardens and shady spots

  8. August

    Warm and busy at weekends, surprisingly calm midweek.

    No fixed city festival — a calm month for museums and canals.

    • Summer evening walks
    • Katwijk beach 20 minutes away
    • Terrace on the Beestenmarkt

  9. September

    Students return, culture season opens, pleasant weather.

    • Museum NightMuseum Night Leiden: one ticket for an evening across Leiden's museums, with special tours, music and performances. Held every year in September.
    • Culture season opening
    • Heritage Day
    • Canals without the crowds

  10. October

    The month of 3 October: Leiden's biggest city festival.

    • 3 October — Leidens OntzetLeidens Ontzet, 2–3 October in Leiden: full programme, the evening tattoo, Grand Parade, free hutspot, herring and white bread, funfair, plus travel and hotel tips.
    • 3 October Leidens Ontzet
    • Autumn colours in the Hortus
    • Museum weekend indoors

  11. November

    Grey outside, rich programme inside: film, music and museums.

    • Film Festival (LIFF)Leiden International Film Festival (LIFF): ten days of international cinema, premieres and talks in Leiden's cinemas and historic venues, every autumn.
    • Film festivals and concerts
    • Cosy pubs and sharing boards
    • Shopping on the Haarlemmerstraat

  12. December

    Lights along the canals and Christmas mood in the centre.

    • Christmas & winterChristmas and winter in Leiden: lights along the canals, winter markets, warm museums and a compact centre at its most atmospheric in December.
    • Christmas market and lights
    • Ice skating in town
    • Wintry museum days

The year in Leiden

  • Spring: Keukenhof season (March–May), with Leiden as your base.
  • June: Leidse Lakenfeesten — city festival on and along the water.
  • July: Werfpop — free music festival in the Leidse Hout park.
  • September: Museum Night Leiden — museums open late into the night.
  • 2 and 3 October: 3 October Festival, marking Leiden's liberation in 1574.
  • October/November: Leiden International Film Festival (LIFF).
  • December: Christmas season with lights along the canals and winter markets.

How to plan your visit

Around the big events — 3 October, the Lakenfeesten and LIFF — the old centre is busy and hotels sell out weeks in advance. Book accommodation early and arrive by train: Leiden Centraal is a ten-minute walk from the festival squares, and city-centre parking is restricted during celebrations.

Exact dates shift each year. Check the event's official website shortly before you travel for the final programme.

Frequently asked questions

What is Leiden's biggest event?
The 3 October Festival on 2 and 3 October, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors with a funfair, a historic parade and the traditional hutspot stew.
Are events in Leiden free?
Most city celebrations are free to attend, including the Lakenfeesten, Werfpop and 3 October. LIFF and Museum Night are ticketed.

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