A scene from the Dutch market in December last year.
Cambridge’s popular Dutch market will be back running next week; the first since July.
The market’s aim has always been to help people of Dutch descent connect with each other and for other residents to experience the unique Netherlands culture. Volunteers run the market and proceeds go to the Netherlands Friendly Society who visit older Dutch residents in the Waikato region.
At the market on December 18, will be stalls with specific Dutch treats like poffertjes (a kind of pikelet), oliebollen (a kind of doughnut), herring, cheese, a small selection of Dutch groceries, kroketten (croquettes), plants and handcrafted cards.
There will also be a stall dedicated to Xmas decorations and one of the volunteers will run a kids corner with a Dutch “sjoelbak” to play on.
There are hundreds of people who identify as Dutch in Cambridge.
The 2018 Census showed that in New Zealand there were 29,820 people who put themselves down as Dutch even though nearly 70 per cent of them had been in the country for more than 20 years.
About 3850 Dutch people live in the Waikato region.
Usually, the market runs on the last Saturday of the month, a pattern which will hopefully return in March next year.
The market will be at Bridges Church on Duke Street between 10am and 1pm.
