Festivals & Events

1. De Alvestêdetocht

   The Eleven Cities Tour (Alvestêdetocht)

   Usage

   A long-distance skating tour of just under 200 km over natural ice through the eleven Frisian cities, starting and finishing in Ljouwert. It only happens in winters when the ice is thick enough, so many years pass without it

   Grammar Note

   A compound of alve (eleven), stêden (cities) and tocht (tour), written as one word. It takes the article De

2. It skûtsjesilen

   Skûtsje sailing races

   Usage

   Summer sailing races between traditional skûtsje boats. Two organisations, the SKS and the IFKS, run the races, and spectators can watch

   Grammar Note

   A compound of skûtsje (the boat) and silen (sailing). It takes the neuter article it: it skûtsjesilen

3. De Snitswike

   Sneek Week (Snitswike)

   Usage

   A water-sports festival centred on sailing in and around Snits in early August (Dutch name: Sneekweek). The town is busy and festive

   Grammar Note

   A compound of Snits (the town) and wike (week), written as one word

4. Oerol

   Oerol (open-air theatre festival)

   Usage

   An open-air performing-arts festival held every June on Skylge. The whole island becomes the venue. Dates differ from year to year

   Grammar Note

   A proper name. It is the festival of the island of Skylge and is called Oerol in Dutch too

5. It Frysk Kampioenskip Fierljeppen

   Frisian Pole-Vaulting Championship (Fierljeppen)

   Usage

   The Frisian championship of fierljeppen, a sport of vaulting over a canal with a long pole for distance. It is held every year and spectators gather at a village venue

   Grammar Note

   Kampioenskip means "championship"; fierljeppen is the sport's name, built from fier (far) and ljeppen (to leap)

6. Sinteklaas

   Sinteklaas (Saint Nicholas Day)

   Usage

   A winter children's holiday celebrated on the night of 5 December into 6 December, with presents and sweets. In Frisian the event is called Sinteklaasfeest

   Grammar Note

   The spelling differs from Dutch Sinterklaas, which has an r

7. Keningsdei

   King's Day

   Usage

   The Dutch national holiday on 27 April celebrating the king's birthday (Dutch name: Koningsdag). Flea markets appear in the streets and many people wear orange

   Grammar Note

   A compound of kening (king) and dei (day). Dei is the Frisian word for "day"

8. Lokkich nijjier!

   Happy New Year!

   Usage

   A greeting used from New Year's Eve into the new year. It corresponds to Dutch Gelukkig nieuwjaar

   Grammar Note

   Nijjier is a compound of nij (new) and jier (year), written as one word

9. Sillich krystfeest!

   Have a blessed Christmas!

   Usage

   A Christmas greeting. Sillich means "blessed" or "happy". At year's end people often add Lokkich nijjier!

   Grammar Note

   Krystfeest is a compound containing feest (feast), written as one word

10. Lokwinske mei dyn jierdei!

    Happy birthday!

    Usage

    A congratulation for a friend's or relative's birthday. Dyn is the informal "your". For someone older or a stranger, use jo jierdei

    Grammar Note

    Lokwinske mei ... is the basic pattern for congratulating someone, with the occasion after mei

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