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.
Take grandpa or grandma out for dinner for free? Soon possible in Haarlem
On Thursday, June 4th, Haarlem will celebrate Grandparents' Day by offering free meals for elderly residents when they are accompanied to local restaurants. This initiative encourages people to take t...

Emergency ordinance in Zandvoort all weekend: 'Immediate action against nuisance'
The municipality of Zandvoort has implemented an emergency ordinance for the weekend to allow police to act immediately against public disturbances following a series of violent incidents. The measure...

A fine for a stumble. Handball player Sarah Dekker doesn't mind: 'It pays for the team outing'
Dutch handball player Sarah Dekker is currently competing for the Danish league title with her team Odense, who won the first game of the final series. Dekker, whose time in Denmark is coming to an en...

Sophie (17) and Levi (18) became friends at the Coornhert: 'There is a kind of awkwardness between us, but we're both fine with that'
Sophie Tappin and Levi Decaster from Haarlem share the story of their friendship, which began at the Coornhert Lyceum. They describe a unique bond characterized by a comfortable sense of awkwardness t...
Haarlem redesigns Kleine Houtweg for more greenery and safety
The municipality of Haarlem will begin the redevelopment of the Kleine Houtweg at the end of this year to improve safety and increase greenery. The project involves narrowing the road and converting i...

More room for greenery and cyclists on the Kleine Houtweg
The Haarlem city council has approved a redesign of the Kleine Houtweg to prioritize cyclists, pedestrians, and green space, with construction scheduled to begin in late 2026. The project will convert...

Haarlem Bowls marks 30 years. Surprisingly fun for young and old. 'It’s mainly a tactical game'
Haarlem Bowls is celebrating its 30th anniversary and hosting introductory clinics every Wednesday evening in June at its facility in Haarlem-Noord. The club aims to increase awareness of the sport, w...
Haarlem man (23) who extorted money mule will not return to jail; victim was forced to withdraw cash
A 23-year-old man from Haarlem has been sentenced for extorting a young money mule and forcing him to withdraw cash. The defendant will not return to prison as his 166-day sentence was already served ...
Haarlem City Theater spotlights dance: ‘We have breakers, lockers and free runners. And fantastic pole dancers’
Stadsschouwburg Haarlem has announced that dance will feature prominently in its upcoming season's programming. The diverse lineup includes styles such as breaking and pole dancing, alongside performa...

Telstar pitch worst in Eredivisie, AZ also scores poorly
A ranking by players' union VVCS reveals that Eredivisie captains rated Telstar's pitch as the worst in the league last season, while AZ also scored poorly in 16th place. PSV earned the highest rating...
Cartoonist Peter de Wit gets a boost from Haarlem: 'I moved from a child's bedroom to a real studio'
Comic artist Peter de Wit has moved to a new home and studio in Haarlem, providing him with a professional workspace along the Spaarne. He shares the new atelier with his wife, Els, moving away from h...

Even cautious dismantling of Werf Conrad goes too far for PRO, D66, VVD and CDA; developer given free hand
A majority of political parties, including PRO, D66, VVD, and CDA, have decided against a careful inspection of the historic Werf Conrad administrative building to uncover potential hidden heritage. C...
'We specifically want to reach those who haven't been heard yet' Marjolein van Haaften wants LGBTQ+ people to participate in new research
Researcher Marjolein van Haaften of Discriminatie.nl Kennemerland is seeking more participants for the biennial Pink Panel survey, which tracks safety and discrimination within the LGBTQ+ community. T...

'The Sirens of Haarlem': Brazilian comic book artists honor resistance heroes Hannie Schaft and Oversteegen sisters in new graphic novel
Brazilian creators Gio Guimarães and Felipe Pan have released a graphic novel titled 'The Sirens of Haarlem' honoring Dutch resistance heroes Hannie Schaft and the Oversteegen sisters. The artists wi...

Blind retired Notre Dame organist coming to Haarlem Organ Festival
The legendary 87-year-old blind organist Jean-Pierre Leguay will be a featured guest at the International Organ Festival Haarlem. The retired Notre Dame organist is recognized as one of the prominent ...
Is Haarlem losing its grip on demonstrations? 'No one has a guarantee that dangerous things won't happen'
Concerns are growing over the safety and management of demonstrations in Haarlem following several dangerous incidents involving police interventions and threats to protesters. Dirk Lammers of Protest...

Hattrick Haarlem reaches play-off final, but victory over VVS’46 under investigation. KNVB probes potential use of ineligible player
Hattrick Haarlem's advancement to the indoor football promotion final is under investigation by the KNVB following allegations they fielded an ineligible player against VVS’46. The playoff final has...

Amine and Mo (12) do good business with smelly bins
Twelve-year-olds Amine and Mo have started a trash can cleaning business in Badhoevedorp to earn money during the summer holidays. After investing 100 euros of their own savings into equipment, the du...

Kleine Houtweg to be greened, and Kamperlaan u-turn to remain after all
The Haarlem city council has approved the renovation and redesign of the Kleine Houtweg, which will replace a traffic lane with more greenery and include sewer repairs. In an unexpected move, the coun...
Weekend tips: things to do in Haarlem (May 29-31)
Haarlem offers various activities for the weekend of May 29 to May 31, taking advantage of the sunny weather. The article highlights local events and things to do across the city from Friday through S...

Museum of the Mind opens location in the Vleeshal from October for at least one year
The Museum of the Mind is returning its art collection from its closed Amsterdam branch to Haarlem, with a new exhibition scheduled to open in the Vleeshal this October. The 'outsider art' display wil...

Permanent end to parking at antique market around the Dreef
The Dutch Council of State has ruled that the municipality of Haarlem is allowed to ban parking on the grass during antique markets at the Dreef. This decision concludes a legal dispute between market...

Haarlem children, let's play! City doubles playground equipment at 29 locations
The municipality of Haarlem will begin major maintenance on 29 playgrounds this autumn, doubling the number of play equipment items from 64 to 128 over the next 18 months. In addition to the new equip...
More social housing for regular seekers in Zuid-Kennemerland and IJmond, share of urgent seekers lower than in rest of country
In the Zuid-Kennemerland and IJmond regions, a larger proportion of social housing is being allocated to regular house hunters compared to other parts of the Netherlands. According to the 2025 Housing...

Haarlem coalition PRO, D66, CDA: negotiations to finish June 11
Coalition negotiators from PRO, D66, and CDA in Haarlem have announced that their governing agreement will be finalized by June 11. The agreement is currently in its concluding phase and will be prese...

Part of Zandvoort declared security risk zone after beach unrest and violence
Authorities have designated parts of Zandvoort as a security risk area following violent incidents and public disorder during the busy Pentecost weekend. The measure allows police to conduct preventiv...

'It’s becoming increasingly unsafe there.' Municipality and businesses fed up with motorcycle lessons on Ted Vermeulenweg
The municipality of Haarlem and local business owners are taking steps to stop motorcycle lessons on Ted Vermeulenweg in the Waarderpolder industrial area due to safety concerns and nuisance. New park...

Community service demanded for PVV politician for hitting XR activist
Prosecutors have demanded 180 hours of community service and a 12-month driving ban for PVV politician Ronald van Tiggelen after he hit an Extinction Rebellion activist with his car. The incident occu...

Haarlem street nuisance reporting point almost ready for launch: 'We are creating one recognizable channel'
Haarlem is set to launch a new reporting center for street safety and nuisance following months of preparation. The municipality aims to provide a single, recognizable channel for residents to report ...
Spaarnestad has a unique creative hub in Haarlem-North with De Volharding: ‘There is no separation between the social and the artistic’
De Volharding has emerged as a unique creative incubator in Haarlem-Noord, aimed at integrating social and artistic initiatives. Coordinator Hugo Post describes the site as a vital space for cultural ...