Rotterdam is once again buzzing with excitement for the Rotterdam Unlimited Zomercarnaval

Music, dance, cultural heritage and socialising come together once again in the heart of the city. With the Battle of Drums, the Zomercarnaval Street Parade, the Mercado and the Rueda de Casino, Rotterdam will be celebrating the cultural richness of the city and its communities on 24 and 25 July.

Battle of the Drums

The festival weekend kicks off on Friday 24 July with the Battle of Drums. Three brass bands will set off from different locations, parading through Rotterdam city centre in a festive and lively atmosphere, all with one goal in mind: the Coolsingel.

The brass bands are gathering on a stage in front of the town hall for the final. Each band will have twenty minutes to give it their all in the battle for the coveted title. At the end of the evening, one brass band will be crowned the winner of the Battle of Drums 2026.

Participating brass bands and routes

Route A: Central Station – S.L.R. Brass Band

Route B: Eendrachtsplein – Rhythm Allstars Brass Band

Route C: Grote Kerkplein – LatinMusicBrassband

The event kicks off at 5.00 pm, when the three bands set off from their respective locations. They arrive at the town hall at 6.15 pm, where the brass bands will give short performances. This will be followed by the main performances, and the winner will be announced at 8.30 pm.

Summer Carnival Street Parade

On Saturday 25 July, the iconic Summer Carnival Street Parade will wind its way through the centre of Rotterdam. Thirty-three carnival groups will showcase their new themes with colourful costumes, choreography, music, floats and live percussion.

The stories told by the participating groups show how culture, identity and heritage connect generations. For example, Citadelle pays tribute to the history, resilience and culture of Haiti with *The (Lost) Pearl of the Caribbean*. With *Celebrating the Blue Wave*, É Grupo celebrates Curaçao’s historic qualification for the World Cup, whilst Surinam Combo’s *Wi Na Wan* demonstrates how Suriname’s diverse cultures come together to form a single identity. With its theme *Stained-Glass Fantasy*, Legacy Carnival Group shows that carnival is also an art form. The group combines artistic costume design with sustainability by giving materials a new lease of life and making reuse a central part of the creative process. Groups with roots in countries including Bolivia, Colombia and the Philippines also bring their cultural stories to life through dance, music and costume design.

Two carnival groups are celebrating a special milestone this year. Kingdoms Under The Sun and Trinidad Connection & Friends are taking part in the Rotterdam Street Parade for the 25th time. During the parade, Kingdoms Under The Sun will look back on the various themes the group has presented over the past 25 years. Trinidad Connection & Friends, with their theme ‘Fancy Sailor – The Legacy Lives On’, are paying tribute to founder Deems Warner, his legacy and the traditional Fancy Sailor from Caribbean carnival history.

For the first time, a full children’s carnival group is taking part in the Summer Carnival Street Parade. Las Semillas will be marching alongside the 33 other carnival groups on Saturday.

Mercado and Rueda de Casino

Along the route of the Straatparade, visitors can enjoy the Mercado. The festival market on Coolsingel brings together cuisines, products and cultural influences from different parts of the world.

At the same time, the Rueda de Casino is taking place on Stationsplein. In this Cuban group dance, couples dance in a circle and swap partners on command. Visitors are welcome to join in for free.