It was raining when I got to the entrance of the Milkshake Festival in Amsterdam. I’d only arrived to the city a few hours earlier, on an early morning flight. As I was checking into my hotel the weather seemed perfectly fine, which is why when I left the hotel just before noon, I walked out in short shorts and a tank top. Only to find the sunny weather I was anticipating had turned to a sudden downpour. But as I walked up to the festival entrance (thankfully: under a poncho handed to me by a drag queen on the sidewalk outside Westerpark), I didn’t care.
But the rain eventually disappeared and the sun came out — as well as all the crazy characters you’d expect from Amsterdam’s most queer & crazy summer festival. This was the fourth annual Milkshake Festival and with thousands of guests, the crowd was far from typical. Most people had costumes or colorful outfits (or lack of outfits) but there was a definite “come as you are” vibe. The festival ran from just after noon until 11pm with acts performing nonstop on the nine different stages. Backup dancers kept the grooves going throughout the day and “secret” stages were home to chill-out spaces with face-painters, hula-hoopers, bubbles and other random activities.
Scroll down for a few more photos from the fest.
A longer version of this article was previously published on Travels of Adam. Read the full story and see even more photos here.
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John Gardiner
Add this to my buck list. Just one hitch the bucket is getting deeper and the legs to kick it with are getting wabblier
Gerry Djarkasi
The best party ð???ð??ð?¼
Hanky
We’ve been there a few times. It’s an awesome experience.
RobvR
Never again. Sorry to be a party pooper but it’s too expensive, too made up and full with people trying too hard to be urban and hip. Very, very, very sad. Nice for tourists, not for locals.
Güstav
Honestly? You’re going to have more fun in a friend’s house party. Expensive and superficial.