December 16, 2015 · Team HG
This weekend is the time: the warm, rugged, and atmospheric winter event WinterWelVaart returns with a wonderful program, which is free to attend on and around the quays of the A-Kwartier in Groningen from Friday, December 18 to Sunday, December 20, 2015.
After the two sister events in Appingedam and Zoutkamp, the WinterWelVaart fleet docks this weekend for the ninth time at the most beautiful part of the Groningen capital. On board the ships and on land, visitors can enjoy a program full of intimate concerts, interesting lectures, theater performances, and films. The visual arts route and traditional Christmas market are naturally part of the event again, and furthermore, the Northern Maritime Museum free her doors.
Extensive program for young and old
The museum once again serves as the headquarters for WinterWelVaart with the new exhibition ‘Mesdag, Mesdag, Israëls and the Schildersbuurt’, fun (children’s) activities, and a wonderful music program. On Friday evening, the experimental roots music of Koude Kermis will be performed here, and Saturday evening concludes with the Groningen pop music of Swinder. A diverse music program can also be found on board the historic ships, ranging from local heroes to promising newcomers. This includes a musical cabaret by Douwe Dijkstra & de sneue voorstelling, the solo project of Douwe (singer of The Black Cult), folk music by Inge van Calkar, and beautiful ballads by My Dearest Dear. In addition to the extensive music program, there is much more to do on and around the ships: former city poet Joost Oomen and current city poet Kasper Peters present a specially curated poetry program, city historian Beno Hofman steps into the shoes of Taco Mesdag, and De Verhalen van Groningen present Story Cafés, films, and exhibitions about Groningen's maritime history.
Christmas market, art route and Santa Clauses
There is also plenty to recommend on the mainland. For instance, on the quays of the A-Kwartier, there is an atmospheric Christmas market with many stalls, various activities, cheerful Christmas choirs, and delicious snacks and drinks. At the now indispensable Sterrenbeeld Art Route, coordinated by Anke Slooff and Francis van Dijk, you can find work by artists who live and work in the A-Kwartier and by a number of special guest exhibitors. In addition, entrepreneurs and shopkeepers in the Ellebogenbuurt and Zwanestraat are linking WinterWelVaart with Moving Mesdag on the Grote Markt. And as a winter bonus, on Saturday evening visitors can see the participants of the second edition of the Santa Run Groningen, dressed entirely in Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus costumes, running across the WinterWelVaart grounds. The complete program is described at winterwelvaart.nl and in the program newspaper that was distributed in the province of Groningen.
About WinterWelVaart
WinterWelVaart caters to a broad audience and aims to keep the maritime history of the city and province alive in an accessible way. During the event, dozens of beautiful (historic) charter ships are moored along the quays of the Hoge, Lage, and Kleine der A. The ships and the Northern Maritime Museum serve as free-to-access venues for a program full of music, theater, and other special activities. Naturally, everyone can meet the skippers who open their vessels to the public and are happy to talk about their work and the ships. This year, WinterWelVaart was not limited to Groningen. Historic ships also docked in Appingedam and Zoutkamp, featuring – just like in Groningen – an extensive music, theater, and art program on board, as well as a lively market on the quay. In Appingedam, ‘Lutje’ WinterWelVaart will take place for the second time on Saturday, December 12, behind the Nicolaikerk and in the center of Appingedam. On Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 3, the Reitdiepskade around the Fisheries Museum and the Old Church on Marnestraat will form the backdrop for the first edition of WinterWelVaart in Zoutkamp.
More information: winterwelvaart.nl
Photo credits: © Niels Knelis
