Have Your Food and Music Too at Hilversum Alive

There are a number of Hilversum festivals held throughout the year in North Holland. If you want to partake in the biggest festival of the year, though, you'll need to plan your trip in June.

Hilversum Alive

Usually held in late June for three days, Hilversum Alive draws folks from all over Holland and Europe for the weekend-long event. Head to the Groest area of Hilversum for this event. Local bars, restaurants and shops get into the spirit of the festival, meaning you'll find plenty of stands selling food as well as plenty of places to duck away from the crowds for a bite to eat. "Cooking on the Kerkbrink" is part of the festival, and participants sell global cuisine, such as Indonesian, Spanish, Greek and French dishes.

Another part of the festival is "All American Day," usually held on the last day of the event. If you're visiting Hilversum from America, this may not pique your interest initially, but actually the day is largely a celebration of American motorcycles and motor vehicles. If you enjoy seeing classic, restored and custom-built motor vehicles, you can't pass this up. If motor vehicles aren't your thing, you'll find plenty of unique souvenirs and handmade crafts for sale at the weekend-long "Sell Off." However, the main focus of the festival is the music. Famous as well as amateur Dutch bands and singers perform all weekend, so expect large crowds of fans. Acts that have performed in the past include Fire Beatz, Hoochie Mama and NoisesRBack.