Opening Night 2026: letter to residents

We would like to inform you about the impact of the event on you as a local resident or business owner.

Programme Friday 11 September

• 5 p.m. – Opening food trucks (Tigris en Eufraat, Vita Friet, Coroni, Rayleigh & Ramsay, Baramaribo, Holy Moly Pizza, and many more)
• 6.45 p.m. - 7.30 p.m. - Opening acts including the Jazz Focus Big Band and the Netherlands Youth String Orchestra.
• 8.15 p.m. - 9.35 p.m. - Free concert by the Concertgebouw Orchestra

Read more about the programme of Opening Night

Set-up, take-down and rehearsals

We would like to inform you about what the event means for you as a local resident:

• The stage will be set up on the large field on the west side of Oosterpark
• Set-up commences on 31 August and take-down finishes on 15 September 2026
• During the set-up and take-down days, work will take place from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm
• Rehearsals take place on Thursday 10 September from 10 am to 1 pm, and 4 pm to 10 pm
• On the day of the concert, Friday 11 September, the audience is welcome from 5 pm onwards
• There will be a limited number of picnic benches available. Of course, you are also welcome to sit on the grass. Just bring a blanket and join us in celebrating the opening of the new season!
• You are free to bring your own food and drink. We kindly ask you to avoid bringing glass containers.
• Accessible seating for wheelchair users is available. The other public areas are on the grass, where the ground may be uneven

Accessibility park

The park will remain fully accessible during set-up and take-down. For safety reasons, one bicycle path will be temporarily closed. Cyclists are asked to walk their bikes for approximately 100 metres along the adjacent footpath.

Parking

Due to limited parking, we kindly ask visitors to come on foot, by bicycle, or by public transport. There is no additional parking available near the concert area, and parking in nearby neighbourhoods is discouraged.

Sound amplification

We play classical music. In a concert hall, amplification is often not needed, but for this open-air concert, we will use sound amplification so that everyone can fully enjoy the performance.

Rubbish

The organisers will ensure that enough rubbish bins are available, including along the entry and exit routes. Once the concert has ended, the site will be properly cleaned up.

Television

The concert will be broadcast live on NPO Klassiek. On Sunday 13 September, the concert will also be shown on television at 6.00 p.m. and 11.45 p.m. on NPO 2.

Contact

We are doing everything possible to ensure that the event, including set-up and take-down, runs smoothly. If you experience any nuisance, please contact the City of Amsterdam at telephone number 14020 (Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) or online.

If you have any questions regarding the concert, please check our frequently asked questions. If you cannot find the answer to your question there, please contact us at klantenservice@concertgebouworkest.nl.

We look forward to seeing you on 11 September!