Free Castricum arts festival: a small band day grew into 17 volunteer editions

On 26 July from 13:00 to midnight, the 17th Uit Je Bak Festival is free in Willem de Rijkepark, Castricum. Families can explore by day while friends can arrive for the evening programme.

• A volunteer team runs the festival, and performers seen here have later appeared at Lowlands or Zwarte Cross. Its value is discovering the next names rather than only following established headliners.
• Different music styles share the park with exhibitions, theatre, dance, street performance, food trucks and children’s activities. The 13:00-midnight span supports separate family and evening routes.
• Entry is free, food is paid and accessibility details are not published. Recheck the timetable and weather; a picnic blanket is useful only when it does not block performance or wheelchair routes.

Hokimi field note: Choose one artist or street act nobody in the group knows, then pair it with one children’s activity or familiar style. Discovery is the event’s strongest return.