Haarlem News in English
Haarlem news in English — local headlines from Haarlem and the wider Kennemerland region (Heemstede, Velsen, Beverwijk, Zandvoort, IJmuiden), translated daily for expats and English-speaking residents.
Football coach Ted Verdonkschot is doing well: ‘It’s as if they’ve turned on an oxygen tap’
Football trainer Ted Verdonkschot is making a steady recovery less than two months after suffering a heart attack. The 62-year-old Haarlem native has already returned to football activities within the...
Wienen: Haarlem cafes allowed to extend opening hours during World Cup in America
Mayor Wienen has announced that cafes in Haarlem will be permitted to extend their opening hours to broadcast World Cup matches held in America this summer. The mayor clarified that current regulation...
Place fences instead of signs in Korte Houtstraat to enforce cycling ban
A new proposal suggests installing physical fences instead of signs to enforce the bicycle ban in the Korte Houtstraat in Haarlem. The public is invited to share their opinions on this measure as part...
'No-cycling signs don’t work. That’s why we want gates at the end of Korte Houtstraat'
Residents of Korte Houtstraat are requesting physical barriers to enforce a cycling ban that is currently being ignored, creating dangerous conditions in the narrow street. They argue that existing pr...
Essent pulls out of heating network, but Haarlem continues steadily
Energy company Essent has withdrawn from Haarlem's district heating network project, leaving the Haarlem heat company with full responsibility for the initiative. Despite the departure of this major p...
Cartoonist Jip van den Toorn to deliver 2026 Arondéus Lecture on freedom: 'What are we furious about today? And what are we doing about it?'
Cartoonist Jip van den Toorn will deliver the 2026 Willem Arondéus Lecture on May 7 at the Grote of St. Bavokerk in Haarlem. Organized by the Provincial Council of North Holland, the annual lecture w...
Triple Threat threatened with expulsion from basketball league over dirty floor; emergency measures taken to prevent it
The basketball club Triple Threat faced potential expulsion from the national top league due to hazardous court conditions at the Spaarnehal caused by a municipal cleaning error. To prevent sanctions ...
Haarlem alderman rejects D66 ‘tile team’ proposal: ‘Shopping streets are not failing’
Haarlem alderman Robbert Berkhout has rejected a proposal from the D66 party to establish a specialized team for proactively repairing loose sidewalk tiles. Berkhout argued that the current maintenanc...
Explosion causes significant damage to home in Haarlem
An explosion caused significant damage to a residence on Jan van der Horststraat in Haarlem on Thursday night. Authorities are investigating the blast, which resulted in substantial property damage.
Free weddings in Haarlem? Not until April 2027
Couples seeking a free wedding ceremony in Haarlem must wait until April 2027 for the next available slot. Recent data from the Haarlem municipality shows that waiting times for these ceremonies in th...
Plan for temporary housing on Huibert Pootstraat. Garages to make way for 63 units.
Stichting Care4Good and HDO Groep have proposed a plan to build 63 temporary housing units on Huibert Pootstraat for individuals with limited access to the housing market, such as young adults and the...
John Oomkes (1952-2026): prominent music journalist with a big heart for his native Haarlem
John Oomkes, a prominent pop journalist and former city council member from Haarlem, has passed away at the age of 74. Recognized as a pioneer in serious music journalism since the mid-1970s, Oomkes w...
Weekend tips: things to do in Haarlem (March 27-29)
Haarlem offers various activities for the weekend of March 27-29 to celebrate the beginning of spring. The article provides curated tips and suggestions for events taking place throughout the city dur...
'It has yet to bloom, hence that green rose,' Haarlem's Erica doesn't see merger party Progressive Netherlands as a funeral for her beloved PvdA
Members of the GroenLinks and PvdA parties gathered in Halfweg for the unveiling of their new merged party name, Progressief Nederland (PRO). Haarlem resident Erica expressed optimism about the merger...
Tom and Ron close flower shop after 42 years: 'We were like a little village in the city'
Ron Bouma and Tom Brands are closing their flower shop in Haarlem after 42 years of operation in the Kleverpark neighborhood. The business, Tom en Ron Bloemen en planten, became a community staple by ...
Haarlem band Eskalatie breathes new life into ska music
Eskalatie, a 12-member band from Haarlem, is reviving Dutch-language ska music by blending high-energy performances with social commentary. The group recently won the Rob Acda Award and has upcoming p...
GL-PvdA and D66 to further explore new Haarlem coalition with CDA; other parties sidelined for now
GL-PvdA and D66 are set to explore a new local coalition in Haarlem with the CDA, excluding other parties for the time being. Following initial discussions led by Diana van Loenen, the three parties w...
Lawyer also seeks acquittal for Ali B in Ten Damme rape case
Lawyer Bart Swier has requested an acquittal for Ali B regarding the alleged rape of singer Ellen ten Damme. The defense argued that a statement from Ten Damme's former partner should not be used as c...
Driver changes statement about Kloosterstraat accident: ‘I just told a bullshit story’
A 44-year-old driver admitted to providing a false initial statement regarding a collision on Haarlem's Kloosterstraat that occurred on August 19, 2024. The suspect allegedly hit a cyclist while speed...
Underage fake police officer from Haarlem arrested thanks to alert intended victim
A 17-year-old from Haarlem was arrested on Wednesday for impersonating a police officer after an intended victim in Spanbroek alerted authorities. The victim recognized the scam during a phone call an...
Open House Day in Haarlem: 120 homes open for viewing
This Saturday, prospective homebuyers can visit 120 houses in Haarlem without an appointment during the national Open House Day. According to the listing site Funda, an additional 170 properties are a...
Major power outage in Haarlem at the moment
A significant power outage in Haarlem has left more than 3,000 households and 25 streets without electricity. The disruption has lasted for nearly thirty minutes and is currently ongoing.
Scouting Brigitta Explorers raise money for summer camp with flea market
Scouting Brigitta is hosting its annual flea market on Saturday, March 28. The event aims to raise funds to support the group's upcoming summer camp.
Haarlem houseboat resident's bid for Spaarne mooring rejected
The highest administrative court in the Netherlands has issued a final ruling against a Haarlem houseboat resident seeking a different mooring on the Spaarne river. The court determined it lacks the l...
Flea market returns to Haarlem's Botermarkt every Wednesday
The flea market has returned to the Botermarkt in Haarlem following its winter break. Visitors can browse the various stalls every Wednesday from 9 AM until approximately 3 PM.
Final municipal election results
The final results for the 2026 municipal elections in Haarlem show that the GROENLINKS / PvdA coalition secured the most votes, winning 11 seats. D66 followed with 8 seats, while the VVD took 4 seats,...
Spaarnwoude climbing wall gets new routes as current ones don't 'flow well': 'Perfect intro to outdoor climbing, but 5a minimum required'
Bjørn Vogelaar and Jim Wessels from Haarlem have been hired to create new routes and update existing ones at the Spaarnwoude climbing wall in Velsen-Zuid. The project aims to improve the climbing exp...
Caprera park reopens, deceased dog did not have Weil's disease
Caprera hiking park in Bloemendaal has reopened after a two-day closure sparked by fears that a dog had died from Weil’s disease. Further investigation confirmed the dog did not have the bacterial i...
Burglar caught red-handed and arrested after home burglary in Bloemendaal
A 45-year-old man from Haarlem was arrested last night after being caught red-handed during a home burglary on Iepenlaan in Bloemendaal. The resident discovered the intruder, who then fled the scene b...
Haarlem burglar caught red-handed after Bloemendaal home burglary
A 45-year-old man from Haarlem was arrested on Thursday after being caught red-handed during a burglary at a residence in Bloemendaal. The homeowner discovered the intruder inside the property before ...