Kerstconcert van het Dutch String Collective

The Van Houtenkerk in Weesp is a former church dating from 1906. It was commissioned by the Van Houten sisters, heirs to the chocolate manufacturing family whose name is closely tied to the town's history. The building no longer serves as a place of worship and has been given a second life as a venue for concerts and events. It is managed as an event location by Stadsherstel, an organisation known for looking after historic buildings. Today the church is best known as an intimate setting for acoustic and classical music. Its programme leans toward chamber music, and it has been part of the Weesp Chamber Music festival, where its setting just outside Amsterdam has led visitors to describe it as a dream venue for concerts. Beyond public performances, the space is also used for private events, which suits a room of this scale and character. The former church interior gives performances a quiet, focused atmosphere that works especially well for unamplified music. The venue also plays a part in Weesp's wider cultural life. During the annual Pentecost weekend art route, Weespers aan de Wand, the Van Houtenkerk is one of the main locations that opens its doors, alongside the town's synagogue and the grand rooms of the town hall. On Open Monument Day the church can be visited free of charge, with guides from the Historische Kring Weesp explaining the history of the building. That mix of heritage site and working music venue gives the Van Houtenkerk its particular character: a piece of the town's chocolate era that still hosts live performance.