Green Love

Celebrating Amsterdam’s Nature

On Saturday the 23rd of June the Green Living Lab welcomes you to celebrate nature from their nature paradise in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas financial district. They have designed their location to integrate their activities with the surrounding nature, so visitors can directly experience the energising benefits of nature while they learn, socialise and play. 

The Green Living Lab will open from 11.00 - 23.00 on Saturday 23 June, with a programme of fun nature-themed activities for families, for kids and big kids. Take a stroll around their organic garden, visit their geodesic dome, sign up to take part in a workshop or two, listen to live music performances & enjoy tasty vegan snacks. Come along to celebrate nature in the city with them, to create in nature and to feel great! 

11.00 - 11.45am: Mindfulness Walk: Nature Connection with the Senses, by Manon
Deep ecologist Manon Danker will guide you in a special walking meditation based on connecting with nature around you. You are guided to awareness of the sensations on your skin, the touch of the wind, the sound of birdsong, the smell of the grass. Embark on this sensory journey to relax, energise and feel spacious, ready for the festivities of the day. 
Number of places: Maximum 15 participants.
Reservation required: Places to be booked in advance by email: [email protected] 
Language: English & Dutch.

12.00 - 12.45pm: Slow Flow Vinyasa Yoga, by Nina
Energise, balance & feel great with this special Vinyasa Slow Flow yoga class by Nina Schotman. Vinyasa yoga is yoga that links the breath, movement, and poses together. Slow Flow Vinyasa yoga allows you to create your own rhythm, while learning poses and how to move, breathe, and stretch between poses. This class is suitable for beginners.
Number of places: Maximum 15 participants.
Reservation required: Places to be booked in advance by email: [email protected] 
Language: English & Dutch.

12.30 - 12.50: Bird Safari with Manon
Are you coming on a bird safari?  Join Manon to discover the birds that live in the garden of the Green Living Lab.
Binoculars are provided.
Language: English & Dutch.

12.45 - 13.30: Willow Weaving Workshop by Daniel
The Green Living Lab’s living willow arcs embrace visitors with a big green hug, creating a feeling of balance between nature & the high office buildings around. Their willow structures are sculpted & cared by by VU PhD student Daniel Sagath and Green Living Lab volunteers. Did you know that willow is one of the most sustainable building materials of all? During this workshop, Daniel will teach you how to weave new willow growth into the existing structures and share some wonderful willow facts with you.
Children are welcome if accompanied by an adult.
Language: English, with Dutch translation available.

13.30 - 14.00: Music in Nature, Acoustic guitar concert by Lautaro Hochman 

14.15 - 15.00: Seed Ball Workshop, by Aveen 
Learn how to make seed balls with native flowers and herbs to provide food for local pollinators & to brighten grey urban environments.
Number of places: Maximum 20 participants. Children are welcome.
Reservation required: Places to be booked in advance by email: [email protected]
Language: English & Dutch.

15.00 - 15.20: Bird Safari with Manon
Are you coming on a bird safari? Join Manon to discover the birds that live in the garden of the Green Living Lab.
Binoculars are provided.
Language: English & Dutch.

15.00 - 15.45: Make a Worm hotel & Introduction to Composting Workshop with Rowin
Learn about the amazing work of composting worms in building fertility in the soil and make your own worm hotel (complete with new worm guests!) to take home and start experimenting with composting!
Number of places: Maximum 20 participants. Children are welcome.
Reservation required: Places to be booked in advance by email: [email protected]
Language: English & Dutch.

15.00 - 15.45: Knot Tying Masterclass with Daniel 
Rope has been used for binding or securing since the early pre-historic times and the Green Living Lab use it regularly in their garden to build structures to grow plants on. During this workshop, participants will learn how to tie some handy basic knots, as well as treat rope for optimal use outdoors. 
Language: English, with Dutch translation available.

15.00 - 16.30: Animal Masks & Face Painting with the Green Living Lab 
Choose from 5 different animals and learn how to make colourful masks for the animals. Would you like to become a butterfly, a ladybird, robin, lion, tiger? Have your face painted in the animal of your choice, then go exploring as your new animal friend in the Green Living Lab garden!
Language: English & Dutch
Suggested donation: minimum of €4,00 per child.

16.00 - 16.30: Music in Nature
Guitar concert by Jens Kimmel and Finn Clement

16.00 - 17.00: Kids Workshop: The Council of All Beings, by Manon Danker
Now you have transformed into animals let’s go a step further and walk into the council of all beings! Listen carefully to what your animal is saying. How do they move? What sound do they make? What strengths and talents to they have? Where do they live? What can you teach humans? How can we all live happily on earth together?
Number of places: Maximum 20 children.
Reservation required: Places to be booked in advance by email: [email protected]
Language: English & Dutch.


17.00 - 17.45: Willow Weaving with Daniel
The Green Living Lab’s living willow arcs embrace visitors with a big green hug, creating a feeling of balance between nature & the high office buildings around. Their willow structures are sculpted & cared by by VU PhD student Daniel Sagath and Green Living Lab volunteers. Did you know that willow is one of the most sustainable building materials of all? During this workshop, Daniel will teach you how to weave new willow growth into the existing structures and share some wonderful willow facts with you. 
Children are welcome if accompanied by an adult.
Language: English, with Dutch translation available.


Do you have a Festivalpass? Then you can sign up for all these activities for free.

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18.00 - 23.00: Music in Nature - Diverse acoustic music performances.

18.00 - 19.30: Vegan BBQ by The Green Living Lab volunteersVegan food & drinks available on a donation basis.

18.00 - 19.00: Echofly

19.15 - 20.00: Hang concert with Javier Murugarren

20.00 - 20.45: Botanical Cocktail Workshop with Roos

20.30 - close: DJ Wie'l Calimbo spinning funky world music that will get you dancing barefoot in the grass!

Limited spaces available for all music performances & activities after 18.00. Spaces to be booked by email: [email protected]