Belcrum Beach

Belcrum Beach is an urban beach and hospitality venue in Breda, in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located on the Haveneiland in the Belcrum district, on the site of the former Mammoetterrein along the Veilingkade, beside the Mark and near the Pier15 skatepark. The beach is open to the public free of charge and operates seasonally, typically from mid-April to mid-October. It describes itself as "the original city beach of Breda" and has been a fixture of the city's summer scene since 2013. The site offers a beach setting with a pavilion, a stage for performances and two bars. Visitors come to relax with a drink, eat snacks or meals, listen to live music or dance to DJ sets. Programming includes DJs on Fridays and Saturdays with changing themes, children's activities on Wednesday afternoons, and live bands, events and festivals on Sundays. The venue is also rented out for private parties, weddings, receptions, company parties, team outings and staff drinks, with a regular caterer providing dishes, snacks and buffets. In cooperation with Sloepverhuur Breda, visitors can rent a sloop directly from the beach to explore Breda from the water. Belcrum Beach is managed by Stichting Belcrum Beach, a foundation supported by a large volunteer group. The organization has three part-time paid managers and around eighty volunteers; volunteers typically work two half-day shifts per month and receive one consumption token for each hour worked, usable during events. The structures on the site are made from residual materials: the pavilion roof comes from an old truck tarpaulin and almost all the wood comes from old pallets. The beach was founded in 2013 on the initiative of Stichting Braak, which wanted to give vacant land in Breda a useful purpose. It opened on 3 May 2013, performed by Breda's alderman for culture Selçuk Akinci, with around seventy volunteers involved in that first year. In 2017 Stichting Belcrum Beach was established and three paid managers were appointed to professionalize the growing organization. In 2018 Frank Zijlmans became the new board chairman, and the beach's own beer, Belcrum Beach Witke, brewed by Brouwerij Frontaal, was introduced. In 2019 the seventh season opened with a second outdoor bar, an expanded stage and a new location for restaurant Mies en Plage. In 2023 the user agreement with the municipality expired, raising uncertainty about the future and concerns that the land might be sold to property developers; the municipality has however promised that Belcrum Beach can remain at its current location at least until 2026.

Belcrum Beach was created in 2013 on the initiative of Stichting Braak, a foundation that wanted to give vacant land in Breda a useful purpose. The beach was laid out on the former Mammoetterrein along the Veilingkade, a site where train wagons had previously been loaded and unloaded. It opened on 3 May 2013, performed by Breda's alderman for culture Selçuk Akinci. In that first year around seventy volunteers were already involved in the project. The structures on the site were built from residual materials: the roof of the pavilion came from an old truck tarpaulin, and almost all the wood came from old pallets. The beach is open annually from mid-April to mid-October and has a pavilion, a stage for performances and two bars. It regularly organizes events such as live music, DJ performances and festivals. In 2017 Stichting Belcrum Beach was established, with three paid managers appointed to professionalize the organization of the growing city beach and to lead a team of around eighty volunteers. Volunteers generally work two half-day shifts per month and receive one consumption token for each hour worked, which can be used during events. The following year, in 2018, Frank Zijlmans was appointed as the new board chairman. In the same year, Belcrum Beach's own beer, called Belcrum Beach Witke, was introduced, brewed by Brouwerij Frontaal. In 2019 Belcrum Beach opened its seventh season with a second outdoor bar, an expanded stage and a new location for restaurant Mies en Plage. In 2023 the user agreement with the municipality expired, making the future of Belcrum Beach uncertain. There were concerns that the land would be sold to property developers. The municipality, however, promised that Belcrum Beach could remain at its current location at least until 2026.

• 2023

  User agreement with the municipality expired, making the future uncertain; the municipality promised the beach could stay at its current location at least until 2026.

• 2019

  Seventh season opened with a second outdoor bar, an expanded stage and a new location for restaurant Mies en Plage.

• 2018

  Frank Zijlmans appointed board chairman; Belcrum Beach Witke house beer introduced, brewed by Brouwerij Frontaal.

• 2017

  Stichting Belcrum Beach established; three paid managers appointed to professionalize the organization and lead around eighty volunteers.

• 2013

  Belcrum Beach founded on the initiative of Stichting Braak; opened on 3 May 2013 by alderman Selçuk Akinci, with around seventy volunteers involved.

Breda's original urban beach: a free, seasonal city beach and event venue with a relaxed beach atmosphere in the middle of the city, run by a foundation with a large volunteer base.

• Belcrum Beach Witke

  Belcrum Beach's own beer, introduced in 2018 and brewed by Brouwerij Frontaal.

1. 1Homebelcrumbeach.nl
2. 2Belcrum Beachwikidata.org
3. 3Belcrum Beachnl.wikipedia.org