The Kwaku Summer Festival is Amsterdam’s celebration of Caribbean, Surinamese and African culture. From 11 July to 2 August 2026, four festive weekends fill Nelson Mandelapark in Amsterdam Zuidoost with music, food, sport and community – around 300,000 visitors in total.

What to expect

Kwaku grew from a neighbourhood football tournament in the 1970s into one of the largest multicultural festivals of Europe. Today it combines live concerts (reggae, dancehall, hip-hop, kaseko and more), the legendary Kwaku football tournament, kids’ programmes and one of the best food markets in the country – from Surinamese roti and pom to Ghanaian jollof and Antillean stews.

Programme highlights

• Four weekends of themed days, including family day, ladies day and the grand finale weekend
• Live music on multiple stages, from local heroes to international stars
• The famous food village – come hungry, leave happy
• Kwaku football tournament, the beating heart of the festival since day one

Practical information

• Dates: weekends from 11 July to 2 August 2026
• Location: Nelson Mandelapark, Amsterdam Zuidoost
• Getting there: metro 50/54 to Bijlmer ArenA station, then a short walk
• Tickets: day tickets via the official website; weekends around the finale sell out

Make it a full Amsterdam day: spend the morning in the city centre with a canal cruise, then take the metro south for an afternoon of Kwaku vibes.