Turn on the Lights

November 15, 2018

Sinterklaas is coming to town this Sunday and tonight the festivities kicked off with “Turn on the Lights”, a completely batshit-crazy festival in Dam Square replete with a giant chandelier suspended over the crowd by a crane where eight full-grown men played brass instruments over the crowd while a lady onstage alternated playing the violin, singing, and reading a story to a bear named Bobby while acrobats performed aerial stunts from the afore mentioned chandelier while dancers in full ball gowns performed on the stage while a man and a young girl sang Aretha Franklin songs and a terrifying owl and a raven puppet swooped through the crowd.  Then 300 thousand lights lit up the De Bijenkorf building while fireworks exploded overhead,  Everything I just said is true. It was amazing!

There are 8 men playing tubas and trumpets and drums on that chandelier. The crane suspending it moved it clear across the square so it was directly over the main stage.
Hard to see, but there’s a lady sitting on a giant box on the stage reading a story to a bear named Bobby. She also plays the violin and sings.
This is where the acrobats came in, Cirque du Soleil-style.
This is an owl
That’s the lady reading to the bear. The story was in Dutch so we were pretty lost, but the website says it’s a story about “nurturing what is new, maintaining what is familiar, and love that always prevails.”
The ballroom dancers are doing their thing onstage now
Time for some fireworks
These guys were acting out part of the story the lady with the bear was reading
Here’s the raven, nevermore!

 

 

 

2 Replies to “Turn on the Lights”

  • This looks incredible! I love “seeing” and reading your adventures on the blog. Thank you!

  • Jenna
    Thanks for sharing this event! It looks like a spectacular event. Had to be exciting to be in the crowd and witness this spectacle! Sure hope and pray that all of you are well and enjoying your experience living in the Netherlands. God,s Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving coming up this coming Thursday!
    Love,
    Holy Uncle Msgr. Steve 🙂

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