By Hilde van den Berg (Arts & Culture Section Editor)
If you have been catching enough sleep to stay alert during the first weeks of class, chances are that you have seen big, blue, flags all over Middelburg. Those flags are a part of a yearly event, organised by Theaterproductiehuis Zeelandia [Theatre production company Zeelandia], that takes place all over Zeeland: the Zeeland Nazomerfestival [Zeeland “Indian Summer” Festival]. It has been around for years and years now, with the first edition having been in 2001. Since then it has grown a lot, and it attracts both visitors and artists from in- and outside of Zeeland.
And by “artists”, I am not only referring to the countless amazing musicians that are present every year. No, the Zeeland Nazomerfestival (ZNF) has got a lot more to offer. This year, although there were a lot of musical acts, there was no shortage of theatre performances either, not to mention the dance acts and shows for children. By creating such a wonderful combination of events, the ZNF manages to appeal to people of all ages, as ten days of concerts could be a little overwhelming for some visitors. As the official opening act of the Abbey Square stage, Bløf made sure to make everyone feel at home. They are a band that all citizens of Zeeland are proud of, and that UCR feels connected to as well (which you might have noticed in IntRoWeek, when you had to sing one of their songs “Hier aan de Kust”).
You would think that there would only be indie bands performing after such a big name as Bløf, but that could not be further away from the truth. The Abbey Square stage is also home to upcoming artist Dotan and Michael Prins, who won the title of “Best Singer-Songwriter” of the Netherlands in 2013. On the last day of the festival, September 6, the stage will have its last performance by none other than Kensington, a Dutch band that has gained a lot of popularity recently. True, a lot of unknown indie bands and artists from Zeeland are performing at the festival, but that does not make it any less fun. There is a reason those bands are on that stage, so it’s always at least worth going, if only for the amazing atmosphere on the Abbey Square. It is especially worth when the indie bands do not charge any entrance fee. The festival, however, does charge money for the performances of the big artists.
All in all, the ZNF is one of Zeeland’s treasures. It might almost be over now, but fear not! There will be afifteenth edition next fall.
Hilde van den Berg, class of 2016, is a Psychology and Law major from Doetinchem, the Netherland
