Utrecht wins top honors as Event City of the Year 2026 for inclusive and future-proof policies
Utrecht has been crowned Event City of the Year 2026 for its innovative and inclusive event policy, which fosters community connections and accessibility. Residents can look forward to more vibrant, diverse, and well-distributed events across the city in the coming years.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Award | Event City of the Year 2026 |
| Presented by | National Event Awards Foundation |
| Date of Award | March 9, 2026 |
| Location of Ceremony | National Congress on Events, Zandvoort |
| Jury Praise | Cohesive vision, accessibility, diversity, inclusion, and new locations |
| Key Events Mentioned | Utrecht Pride, Dom Tower unveiling, New Year’s Eve celebration |
| Councilor | Eva Oosters (Events) |
| Other Award Winners | Amsterdam 750 (Best Public Event), Roze Zaterdag Zaanstad (Event Impact Award), GLOW Eindhoven (Grand Prix) |
| Future Plans | Continued development of future-proof event policy and new locations |
The National Event Awards Foundation recognizes excellence in event planning and policy across Dutch cities, promoting best practices in accessibility, diversity, and community engagement. Utrecht’s local government plays a pivotal role in shaping the city’s event landscape through policy development, subsidies, and infrastructure investments.
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Utrecht named Event City of the Year 2026
Utrecht has been named Event City of the Year 2026. The award was presented on Monday during the National Congress on Events in Zandvoort by the National Event Awards Foundation.
According to the jury, Utrecht earned the title due to its strong and forward-looking event policy and its broad, accessible range of events. The jury report highlights, among other things, the cohesive vision on events in the city. “Utrecht presented a cohesive vision on events in which events are explicitly used to connect residents with one another,” the jury wrote.
The jury also praised Utrecht’s approach to improving its event policy. Public investments are evaluated, and the societal benefits of events are taken into account. The report also mentions the attention given to accessibility, diversity, and inclusion, as well as the careful search for new event locations—through research and participation.
Councilor Eva Oosters (Events): “I am incredibly proud of this award, ‘Utrecht as an event city.’ Events bring people together and make our city vibrant. They create encounters and joy. In recent years, we have worked with organizers, volunteers, and partners to make wonderful, accessible events possible, such as Utrecht Pride, the unveiling of the Dom Tower, and the new New Year’s Eve celebration that emerged from the citizens’ assembly. At the same time, even when it was sometimes challenging, we consciously chose to continue making space for events—for example, through location profiles, new subsidies, and designating a new site for large events. This award is therefore a recognition of colleagues, organizers, partners, and volunteers. And of course, we’re not done yet; in the coming years, we will continue working toward a future-proof event city.”
In recent years, Utrecht has been developing a future-proof event policy. This involves looking at the societal value of events and how they contribute to encounters and connections in the city. Investments have been made in permanent event locations, new subsidy schemes, and clear location profiles for organizers and local residents. The city is also working to better distribute events across Utrecht and is searching for new locations so that the range of events can grow alongside the city. Residents and organizers are involved in research and decision-making.
During the same ceremony, other National Event Awards were also presented. The jubilee program Amsterdam 750 won the award for Best Public Event. The Event Impact Award went to Roze Zaterdag Zaanstad for its positive contribution to inclusion and coexistence. Additionally, the light festival GLOW Eindhoven received the Grand Prix, an award for events that, due to their scale, history, and appeal, hold a special place in the Dutch event landscape.