Essentially The Hague – Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Wednesday October 28, 2026

Good morning, The Hague. Today: the former Vapiano at Buitenhof becomes a prison, emergency patients can check their waiting time at HMC hospital, and Cuban guitarist Eliades Ochoa brings ¡Como Nunca! to PAARD.

Former Vapiano site at Buitenhof becomes a prison: Prison Island, a game played inside a mock jail, is due to open in 2027 at the address an Italian restaurant chain left two years ago. Groups of two to five crack codes, solve riddles and dodge laser beams in a maze of cells.

Free film night under hypnosis at Buitenhof cinema: Pathé Buitenhof will seat 30 film lovers with hypnotist Victor Kraemer on 9 November, testing whether they can forget a favourite film and experience it as if for the first time. Applications close Thursday. Those taking part pick from The Matrix, Se7en, La La Land and Interstellar.

DNA research traces two Hagenaars to African foremother: Peggy Bouva and Michael Kruidenier met through DNA research and a mutual friend, then spent about a year in colonial archives and family stories. Their line led to an African foremother whose original name is unknown. They talk about the search on 27 October at the Nationaal Archief.

Autumn surf programme underway on Scheveningen beach: The first edition of Surf City Den Haag opened this month, with the national surf tour’s second round held on the beach on 10 October. Around forty young people took introductory lessons, some free or discounted. A surf film festival follows on 31 October at Theater De Regentes.

Hollywood actress Viola Davis visits The Hague Thursday: She is one of the speakers at the UNESCO Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination, running 29 and 30 October at the World Forum. Her session is not open to the public. King Willem-Alexander and prime minister Rob Jetten join Thursday’s opening, alongside some 1,500 participants from eighty countries.

HMC emergency patients can check waits on their phone: The hospital introduced QR codes this month at its emergency department, giving an estimate of time in hospital based on data from similar cases. A personal code linked to the medical file shows which tests follow and why delays happen. Information comes in Dutch, English and Arabic.

Empty vases on MPs’ desks protest flower VAT rise: Florists from across the country met MPs at Nieuwspoort on Tuesday to argue against raising VAT on flowers and plants from 9% to 21%. Research they presented predicts sales falling by more than 15%, plus closures and job losses. Westland’s council votes on a motion against the rise on Wednesday.

Gijs, 14, walks 50 kilometres for heart charity: Gijs Hagedoorn had his first heart operation at five months old. On Saturday 31 October he walks the 11strandentocht from Kijkduin to Zandvoort, his fourth fundraising effort, this year for research into women’s hearts. Donations stand at just over 3,600 euros, below the 6,500 he once raised.

Foundation risk will limit borrowing under NHG from 2027: Lenders will have to assess the chance of foundation problems using a set method before approving a mortgage backed by the guarantee scheme. Where risks are high, expected repair costs reduce the amount on offer. The financial markets watchdog counted nearly 220,000 homes at high risk in April.

Rudi Fuchs, former Stedelijk Museum director, dies at 84: His family confirmed he died on Sunday evening. Fuchs ran the Hague city museum from 1987 to 1993 and also led documenta, and he objected to explanatory labels beside artworks, arguing visitors should interpret them themselves. He left The Hague with a four million guilder deficit.

Craft paper lanterns at ArtLab: Japanese Washi-Lantern: Children assemble and decorate their own traditional paper lanterns during an hour-long hands-on library craft session. 28 October, 14:00 – 15:00, Centrale Bibliotheek, 1e verdieping, Studio B. KIDS WORKSHOP

Clay, glazing and a five-class ceramics series for ages six to eight: Children work with clay and glazing techniques under Laura, each session building on the last, ending with a presentation for family. 28 October, 13:15 – 14:45, Theater Dakota. KIDS WORKSHOP

Free crafting afternoon for children at Muzee: Children make something with their hands for free, though the listing carries no start time, materials list or age range. 28 October. KIDS WORKSHOP

Monsters and mythical creatures on show for children: A children’s exhibition about monsters and mythical creatures, with no venue, start time or price anywhere in the listing. 28 October. MUSEUM / EDUCATIONAL

An underwater adventure for children in Scheveningen: Billed as an underwater adventure for children, with no venue, start time or price published alongside it in the listing. 28 October. OUTDOOR / ACTIVE

Toddler gym in Rijswijk, movement for the very young: A gym session for toddlers in Rijswijk, listed for the day but without a hall, start time or price attached. 28 October. KIDS WORKSHOP

Eliades Ochoa brings ¡Como Nunca! to PAARD: A Wednesday evening concert; the organiser’s own page is offline, so nothing beyond the billing and start time is published. 28 October, 20:30, PAARD, Kleine Zaal. WORLD / FOLK

Kiiōtō and Lou Rhodes of Lamb share one bill: Lou Rhodes, of the band Lamb, joins Kiiōtō for the night, and the listing page is offline, so expect no further detail. 28 October, 20:00, PAARD, Kleine Zaal. ELECTRONIC / DANCE

Close Up: Haydn & Dvořák chamber music at Amare: Residentie Orkest musicians play a close-quarters chamber program featuring works by Haydn and Dvořák. 28 October, 20:15, Amare Studio, Amare. CLASSICAL

Brian Templeton on stage at Musicon, no programme published: One name on the bill and nothing else published, since the event page returns an error rather than a programme. 28 October, 20:00, Musicon. JAZZ / BLUES

Vivre!, French chansons from Gerard Alderliefste and Friends in Delft: French chanson, sung by Alderliefste and his band in Delft, the fourth time he has staged this particular programme. 28 October, 14:30, Theater de Veste. SINGER-SONGWRITER

The Mighty Elements Band plays Earth, Wind & Fire, with afterparty: Twelve musicians and three vocalists work through the Earth, Wind and Fire catalogue, with a Boogie Night afterparty once the set ends. 28 October, Theater de Veste. POP / ROCK

Who does the education system work for, asked on stage in Vonnis: A co-production between Theater Bellevue and Het Nationale Theater, running into late November, built around who schooling serves and who it fails. 28 October. THEATER

Dutch folk horror Witte Wieven, with English subtitles: Fifty-four minutes of folk horror about a young mother fleeing a violent husband into a village haunted by white figures. 28 October, 18:30, Filmhuis Den Haag: Studio B. FILM

Stand-up in English at PePijns Comedy Club: Stand-up comedy performed in English, which is the main thing to know, since the listing gives no line-up for the night. 28 October, 20:30, Theater PePijn. COMEDY

Raw materials and the role they play, a Critical Matters session: An early evening talk on critical raw materials, with no speaker names or registration details published in the listing. 28 October, 17:30, The Humanity Hub, Fluwelen Burgwal 58, Den Haag. TALKS / IDEAS

Late-night screening of A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night: A 2014 horror picture in the final slot of the day, with no introduction or extra programme noted in the listing. 28 October, 21:30, Flora Filmtheater. FILM

Extraction and Empires, a free Leiden University lecture and panel: Catía Antunes traces how empires lived off resource extraction, then joins Marius Troost for a panel, with drinks after and sign-up required. 28 October, 17:30 – 19:00, The Hague Humanity Hub. TALKS / IDEAS

Theater Belicht: Tsjechov and The Seagull: An expert unpacks Chekhov’s classic play in relation to historical themes of mind and physical body. 28 October, 19:30 – 20:30, Centrale Bibliotheek, 1e verdieping, Studio B. THEATER

Spend twenty-four hours reading at Lekker Lang Lezen: Pack a sleeping bag and spend a quiet full day immersed in print among historic shelves. 28 October, 18:30 – 18:30, The Bookstor Cafe. GAMES / HOBBIES

Small-group sewing course with Dewi Bekker: Bring your own sewing machine to work on a personal wardrobe project under a fashion designer’s guidance. 28 October, 19:00 – 21:30, Das Leben am Haverkamp. CLASS

Bring your own horror book to the Halloween Low Key Bookclub: Everyone brings a horror, mystery or thriller they have read and talks about it without spoilers, hosted by Iris in Eindhoven. 28 October, 19:30, Douwe Egberts Café. GAMES / HOBBIES

Bootcamp & Bietjes pairs an outdoor workout with soup and quiche: Out on the land in Wassenaar, a bootcamp session open to all fitness levels, followed by fresh soup, artisan bread and quiche. 28 October, 18:00 – 20:00, WIJdehorst. SPORTS

Wayfinding Workshops, free sessions in English for displaced residents: Psychological support for displaced and immigrant people, built around body awareness, stress and trauma, held in Lab B on the third floor. 28 October, 17:30, Centrale Bibliotheek, 1e verdieping, Studio B. WORKSHOP

Coffee, a Schilderswijk walk and lunch with the Lukaskerk: Ten places only: coffee at the Lukaskerk, an hour on foot through the neighbourhood, then lunch together for fifteen euros. 28 October. TOUR

An introductory course on Christian tradition, starting with the Bible: Aimed at anyone wanting a first or refreshed grounding, it reads biblical texts until Christmas, with a second part after that. 28 October. CLASS

De Arbeidsmarkt van Morgen at the SER: Keynote speakers examine automation, artificial intelligence and persistent labour shortages over a half-day professional conference on future employment. 28 October, 9:30 – 13:30, Sociaal-Economische Raad (SER). SEMINAR / TALK

Want to make sure you never miss a day of Essentially The Hague? Subscribe here.