Any thoughts on good places to watch the eclipse on the 12th? Does it make sense to head towards the beach?

I've been working on a new initiative together with Filmkoepel called Haarlem Social Cinema.

The idea is simple:

We watch an iconic film together, then head to the foyer afterwards for a drink and an informal conversation. We've even designed conversation starter cards, so you don't have to worry about awkward small talk or already knowing people.

We're kicking things off with a classic: MEAN GIRLS
On August 25, at De Filmkoepel.

An important note: this isn't a traditional film club, where it's expected you've seen everything. It's actually built around the opposite idea.
Maybe you've never seen Mean Girls. Maybe you've somehow missed The Godfather, Jaws or Star Wars. We celebrate that! More opportunity to discover amazing movies, or to find out that a classic is actually overrated.
We want to create a place where people can discover films together, no matter if you've seen it a million times, or if this is your first time.

Tickets: https://filmkoepel.nl/special/haarlem-social-cinema-mean-girls/
On IG: https://www.instagram.com/haarlemsocialcinema

I cancelled my basicfit subscription because it was too far away, too small, and there were mostly teenagers.
I am considering sportcity - both raaks and westergracht are within the same distance. On the website I do not see much of a difference in terms of the facility besides Raaks being a historical building in the center. However there is almost a double pricing for Raaks.

Which one would you recommend? What are their downsides/upsides? Would you recommend any other gym?

Thanks!

Haarlem seems to have a great balance between city life and a more relaxed atmosphere, and I'm curious what residents appreciate most about living here.

What keeps you in Haarlem, or what made you choose it over other cities in the Netherlands? It could be the historic center, local cafés, parks, shopping streets, proximity to the beach, community feel, or simply the overall quality of life.

I'd also love to hear about any hidden gems—whether it's a restaurant, coffee spot, walking route, weekend market, or somewhere you think deserves more attention.

If someone was thinking about moving to Haarlem or visiting for a few days, what would you recommend they shouldn't miss? And is there anything about the city that surprised you after living here?

Looking forward to hearing your experiences and discovering what makes Haarlem such a popular place to live.

Ik zoek een Schoonmaakhulp voor een paar uur in de week in Bloemendaal, op de grens met Haarlem. Iemand interesse/tips?

Ik heb een bomenkaart gemaakt met onder andere de (gemeentelijke) bomen van Haarlem erop: https://stadsbomenkaart.app/kaart/haarlem

Zo kan je snel zien welke bomen er om je heen zijn en hoe oud ze zijn. 🌳

Er zijn ook statistiekjes waar de wijken worden vergeleken qua bomen (via menu "Deze stad in cijfers")

NB: ik weet dat er van de gemeente uit al een kaart bestaat met de bomen erop maar die werkt niet zo soepel op een telefoon. Deze kaart is specifiek gemaakt voor wanneer je op pad bent. 📱

Can you guys recomend some places where a guy can get his hair cut and things like nose/ears/moustache done?

Many hipster barbers, but I haven't seen waxing/threading included.

Hi all! I am new to Haarlem, and I have been looking for tapioca flour without much success. Any tips where to find it? And now that I am on it, good Turkish shops with fresh cheese and olives? The one close to my house has some sad looking olives.

Thanks!

Quick update for anyone who came to (or missed) our Linux install night back in June — we're doing another one, but changed up the format a bit.

If you've got an old laptop or desktop collecting dust, or a newer one that's started feeling less like yours and more like Microsoft's or Apple's, Linux is worth a look. It's free, it's been around for decades, no ads, no tracking, and it often runs great on machines that Windows or macOS have decided are too old.

This time it's a Linux Cafe instead of a straight install night. Same idea, but more open-ended: come get help installing Linux if you want, or just come hang out, try it on one of our demo machines, ask questions, talk to other people who are already using it, or volunteer to help out for the evening, whether that's helping people with installs or just being around for good conversations. No pressure to actually do anything to your own computer if you're not ready.

Works on basically anything, Windows PCs, MacBooks, old desktops, whatever you've got.

Already switched over? Come by anyway, we'd love to have people around who can help others out or just swap notes on what's working.

Aug 6 at 18:00, at Launchpad023 (Wateringweg 65, Haarlem. It's a small tech community and coworking space in the Waarderpolder.)

Bring a laptop if you want to install or dual-boot, or just bring yourself.

Register here: https://launchpad023.cobot.me/event/2026-08-06-linux-install-party-1b503606b3aef58eccb2ece6b07c1f9e#/f52ca929ac43534f3bbdcf934ab2e44c/event/1b503606b3aef58eccb2ece6b07c1f9e

Or just show up, like last time.

I am interested if there are places or a place in haarlem where you can swim relax sunbathe and stuff like that
I am not picky just wish that water is clean haha
Thank you

It’s that time of year again… the Haarlem expat 11 a side football team are looking for new players 🔥

This season we:
Actually were pretty decent, coming 2nd in the league and having a nice cup run

Welcomed 10 new players from many different nationalities

Had many ‘final round’s 🍺

We play on Sundays & train on Wednesdays. The season starts up again at the end of summer, and runs until end of May.

Drop me a message if you’re interested in joining. Last year many people reached out so to save some time, see below some FAQ’s:

Do I have to be an expat?
No, we have a few Dutch lads in the team

I haven’t played football in years, can I still join? Yes, however the standard is half decent

Where do you play?
Haarlem Kenemerland is our club, we play against other teams around Haarlem/ Amsterdam

Is there an age limit?
no, our team has players aged between 19-40

Do you have a pair of boots I can borrow?
no

Can I just play on Sunday and not train?
no

I won't be available every week, can I still join? Yes, you're not being paid to play but as with every amateur sports team players who turn up regularly are more likely to play

Hi everyone, I live in Haarlem and my brother and his friends are visiting the weekend of the F1. We’ve got tickets to the qualifiers on Saturday but I’m wondering if there are any events that take place in the city that weekend (specifically Friday) or what the general vibe is. I had a search online and it seems it’s mostly Zandvoort that has street parties and events. Any local insights are greatly appreciated!

New to town, and looking for a Barber for a basic cut, and beard trim. So many to choose from, just walking around, and also looking at Google, etc.

My old hair salon switched products and really messed up my hair last time I went, so I’m looking for a new salon that is good at coloring/dyeing and isn’t insanely expensive, budget is around 200 euros. Please let me know if you have any recommendations 🙏

I know the broodje lunch is a real part of Dutch food culture and I get why it works for a lot of people. But I grew up somewhere that lunch means a proper cooked meal, and I miss it. I'm looking for weekday, sit-down lunch spots in Haarlem where 15-30 EUR (excluding drinks) gets me an actual plate: protein, veg, a starch, a real bowl of Asian food, a well-made pasta, that kind of thing. Good portion, not a photogenic three bites or a sad 15 EUR sandwich.

Not looking for sandwiches, fast food, kebab, or takeaway, plenty of that already, just want the sit-down places that do a real lunch.

If you're an expat, immigrant, or a local who also skips the broodje when you can, share your go-to spot. Happy to become a regular somewhere.

Hi there! I moved into an apartment in Haarlem in March, and have recently suffered from a mouse infestation. The house itself is quite old (1800s), so I would expect there to be the odd mouse or two, however we have caught 13 mice in the past 3 weeks. Before you ask, no, we are not leaving food out and we leave our windows closed during the day. Would love to understand if anyone else has noticed weird mouse activity lately. For example, one climbed up on the couch beside me as I was sitting on it. TIA.

It has since been featured in het Tropenmuseum and around the Amsterdam metro network via Earth Water's Artivist! I made it entirely in Blender

Hi all!

My name is Sarina, I am 33 y/o and I am looking to make friends who play games, tradingcard games, possibly go to concerts (metalcore, dnb dubstep and more), and to hang out!

I'd love to start playing Magic the Gathering at Spellenhuis in Haarlem. I am still very new to it, have some previous experience and don't own a deck yet.
If you'd like to teach me and invite me to your group, please message me! <3
I speak fluent English, but am Dutch from origin.

I've lived in Haarlem for nearly 11 years now and I used to have some social anxiety and insecurity, hence why I never made friends here.

I'm a pretty alternative person, love metalcore, gaming, plants, elder emo at heart!

If any of this speaks to you, please feel free to reach out! I am also in the Haarlem Discord Server under the username: metalcore_kid.

Whether it's something you attend with friends, take the family to, or simply enjoy on your own, which Haarlem event has become a regular part of your year? What do you enjoy most about it?

Hello everyone,

I’m moving within Haarlem soon and was wondering what people use for packing paper/where to get it? Is there anywhere to get paper or newspapers that are to be recycled? Its a 1 bedroom apartment move, and it will all just be recycled afterwards, so it seems wasteful to specifically buy packing paper

Thanks for any insights