On the weekend of April 29-30, the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society and House of Yes invite their cherished communities to a celebration of Dutch culture and the beginning of spring at The New Amsterdam Festival taking place at the historic Vander Ende-Onderdonk House in Ridgewood, Queens from 11am-9pm daily. With tons of family-friendly activities for everyone from all ages and stages of life, the FREE two-day event will see the outdoor open-air space transform into an outdoor Dutch wonderland featuring food trucks and vendors, a Heineken beer garden, local artisan market, live band and DJs, circus performances, and lots more fun-filled surprises. Coinciding with Dutch springtime festivities including Holland’s King’s Day (April 27) celebrated nationally and Tulip Festival (April 14-May 4) in Flevoland, The New Amsterdam Festival will see the grounds of the Vander Ende-Onderdonk House covered in rows of flowering tulip bulbs and orange-themed decor and accompanying performer outfits.
“The thing about House of Yes is that everyone associates us as being a nightlife spot that only caters to a 21+ crowd. While that’s a huge component of what we offer, our vision and ethos is so much more than that and is really all about supporting our local community,” says Kae Burke, co-founder and co-creative director of House of Yes. “Community is at the core of everything we do from supporting local artists and performers to booking local vendors at our weekend market with Mamas Bazaar. The New Amsterdam Festival is about not only the beginning of spring but also about bringing people together from all ages and walks of life and a chance for us to give something back to our neighbors that are fun for families too and at the same time delivers a little slice of Dutch culture to Queens, New York.”
Over the weekend, attendees will be able to partake in lots of fun-filled all-age activities including lawn games like bocce and cornhole or get the whole family involved in a community game of human foosball. Interactive art, live painting, hula hooping, face painting, circus performances, and lots of arts and crafts will round out the two-day festival’s offerings making this the perfect weekend activity for parents and their kids wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of New York without leaving the borough of Queens on a beautiful historical garden estate.
Vander Ende-Onderdonk House in Ridgewood, NY
Inviting attendees to join in the festivities for lunch, dinner or a snack, House of Yes is offering the chance to take a bite out of Holland’s cuisine and enjoy delicious Dutch treats including sweet stroopwafel waffles, thick and crispy fries with mayo, and more as well as otherworldly food options from a selection of vendors including Queen of Falafel. For the 21 and overs, they will be able to cool off from the springtime sun under a tented beer garden with a smooth and flavorful serving of Holland’s first premium beer, Heineken.
For those looking to indulge in some seasonal shopping, Mamas Bazaar will act as a one-stop shop for ‘spring into spring’ wardrobe needs with over fifteen local artisan vendors. Highlight stalls partaking in the festival include vintage wonderland Screaming Mimis, illuminated wearable art courtesy of Electric Candy Couture, eco-natural Clothing from Chiang Mai by Bellewaera, cute tees and totes by Adorned By You, ethical fashion and eco-prints from Jwhite Original, festival fashion and apparel by Ornate Reverie, gifts by BreadxButta, mysterious treasures by Blue Raven Fox, and lots more from talented local New York vendors.
House of Yes performers at Mysteryland USA | Photo credit: Marc Van Der Aa
A live Dutch bluegrass band from 3pm-6pm will be certain to keep the festival energy high and have everyone from children to parents and adults shaking it on the dancefloor. Then from 6pm-9pm, the House of Yes resident DJs will bring their radiating dance party beats to the festival alongside their signature eccentric, and good vibes with Brooklyn’s favorite nightlife spot.
Together with a suggested donation of $2 per adult and with a portion of bar sales, funds will be collected to raise awareness and preservation for the Vander Ende-Onderdonk House, an official New York City landmark, and the oldest Dutch Colonial stone house in New York City and a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society, a non-profit organization established in 1975.
Vander Ende-Onderdonk House in Ridgewood, NY
Saturday, April 29 & Sunday, April 30
House of Yes and Greater Ridgewood Historical Society present:
The New Amsterdam Festival
Dutch food and culture
Live music and DJs
Arts and crafts
Circus performances
Local artisan market
Lawn games + activities
Vander Ende-Onderdonk House
1820 Flushing Avenue
Ridgewood, NY
11am-9pm
Rain or shine
Suggested donation $2 per adult
More information available on Eventbrite
All Ages Welcome!
About House of Yes:
House of Yes opened its third iteration in Bushwick at the beginning of 2016 to become a beacon of NYC nightlife after shuttering its doors too soon in East Williamsburg three years ago. Original partners Anya Sapozhnikova and Kae Burke, teamed up with Ilan Telmont and Justin Ahiyon to build out the best venue ever with a little help from their friends, seeing a Kickstarter campaign for $92,340 (original goal: $60,000). The space includes an art-deco restaurant parlor, a spectacularly decorated warehouse-sized performance space, a courtyard with kitschy repurposed decor, and a clandestine mini-club. House of Yes is now the home of circus spectacles, immersive cinema, burlesque and cabaret shows, aerial extravaganzas, nightlife parties, morning raves, brunch, BBQs, and bubble baths, all with superior sound and exemplary service. Each night is specially curated to create an immersive experience with music, theatrics, and performances to titillate the senses and expand your mind, unlike any other venue in Brooklyn right now.
About The Vander Ende-Onderdonk House:
The Vander Ende-Onderdonk House, located in Ridgewood on the border of Queens and Brooklyn, is the oldest Dutch Colonial stone house in New York City. Peter Stuyvesant granted the land it sits on in the mid-seventeenth century, and by 1660, Hendrick Barents Smidt occupied a small house on the site. In 1709, Paulus Vander Ende of Flatbush purchased the farm and began construction of the current house. The building was a prominent marker in the 1769 settlement of the boundary dispute between Bushwick in Kings County and Newtown in Queens County. The House serves as a museum for a permanent exhibit on the archaeology of the Onderdonk site, as well as changing exhibits relating to history, the arts and culture. The Society also maintains a history and genealogical research library, and offers many cultural events annually, including guided house tours, history lectures and programs, genealogy workshops, craft classes and special events. The history and location of the house provide a rich educational and cultural experience for visitors.
About The Greater Ridgewood Historical Society:
The Greater Ridgewood Historical Society was established in 1975 by a group of local residents to prevent the demolition of the Vander Ende Onderdonk House. From 1975 until 1981, the GRHS raised funds to reconstruct the house which had been seriously damaged by fire, and in 1976, published a history of the greater Ridgewood area, entitled Our Community, Its History, and People. With the help of Federal, State and local funds, the Onderdonk House was opened to the public in 1982.
