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Make your life greener in Alkmaar | Sunday, April 12, 2026

  • myrthe541
  • Feb 12
  • 3 min read

Water.

We live with it, we drink it, we sometimes fight against it. But how often do you really pause to think about it?


On Sunday, April 12th, the Grote Kerk (Great Church) in Alkmaar will be transformed into a place where water is not just observed, but experienced. UPfest is not your average sustainability festival. It's an afternoon for strolling, participating, creating, listening, and perhaps even reflecting on your own choices.


This is one of those trips where you think to yourself beforehand: It would be nice to just take a look at it.

And afterwards you realize: I've learned something from it.


What is UPfest?

UPfest stands for "Green UP your life" and brings together doers, entrepreneurs, thinkers, and curious visitors around a central theme. This year, it's all about water: how it shapes our cities, how we manage it, and how we will live with it in the future.


Not a didactic story.

Concrete examples, creative installations and people who show that sustainability doesn't have to be complicated.


What can you expect?

The program is wide-ranging, interactive, and surprisingly practical. You determine your own route through the Grote Kerk and discover, among other things:


  • “We are Water”, a growing installation in which you literally become part of the artwork.

  • The Lego Water City, where children and adults build an underwater city

  • The play "Overstroom" about life below sea level

  • Installations such as “The Water Catcher” and “2050: Choose what you use”, which playfully encourage reflection on water consumption.

  • Kingfisher's live webcam

  • The singing sewing workshop, where party flags are made from fabric scraps.

  • PetPretPark with playful, sustainable activities

  • Bamboostiek, together realizing a large construction project

  • A regional market with more than twenty local producers

  • The Green Toast, a special moment for members and friends of UPfest


You can walk around, join in, listen, and participate in conversations.

It is educational without being academic. Serious without seeming ponderous.


Would that be something for you?

Whether you are traveling with children, want to wander around on your own, or are simply curious about what sustainability looks like in practice – this is an afternoon you will take home with you.


Perhaps inspiration.

Perhaps a new idea.

Perhaps it's simply the feeling: This can be done differently.


Practical

  • UPfest – Make your life greener

  • Date: Sunday, April 12, 2026

  • Time: 12:00 – 17:00

  • Location: Grote Kerk, Koorstraat 2, Alkmaar

  • admission free

  • The complete and up-to-date program can be found at: https://upfest.nl/programma/


Good to know: The UPfest website is intentionally offline at night to save energy. Between 1:00 AM and 6:59 AM, the website may be temporarily unavailable.


Five surprising facts about UPfest

  1. Their website is offline every night. Not symbolically, but literally. This saves hundreds of kilowatt hours of energy annually.

  2. You are not a spectator. In "We Are Water" you become part of the artwork.

  3. You're literally building an underwater future. The Lego water city shows what cities could look like if water played a more important role.

  4. Sustainability becomes tangible here. From recycled materials to local producers – you can immediately see what's possible.

  5. Entry to the festival is free . Everyone is welcome to come and participate. This makes it easily accessible and a place where people can connect with each other.


This event is part of the local events calendar of Uitgeest.

You can find the complete event calendar at https://www.boutiquestay.nl/uitagenda



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