This weekend is the Boekenfestijn (Book Festival), held at Jaarbeurs Utrecht. Running from September 2-5, the massive, mobile book store is free to get in, and offers discounted prices on books, games, some craft goods. If you enjoy books, it's probably a great way to spend a few hours browsing a variety of topics. The majority of books will be in Dutch, of course, but they do have a selection of English-language titles, as well. It moves around to other cities, so check the website to see where else it will be taking place.

If you can't make it to the Book Festival this weekend, or if you're looking for reasonable priced books in English and Dutch throughout the year, you should check out Antiquariaat, located at Voorstraat 55, in Utrecht. This used-book store has a very nice selection of books in both languages, and often offers extra discounts if you buy a few books at a time. They also buy books, but it's best to go on Tuesday afternoons when the store owner is there. The store isn't all cheap paperbacks; there are some quality, collectible books on offer as well. Either way, it's a nice place to browse and pick up some enjoyable reading material.

The weather hasn't been the best the past couple of days, but things might be a little bit drier this weekend, so here's a quick run-down of some of the events taking place in Utrecht.

Tonight at 19:00, there's a free concert as part of the Oude Muziek (Old Music) festival. Arie Abbennes will be playing the carillon bells of the Domtoren for the enjoyment of all. The best place to listen is at the Domtoren itself, but if you're in the city center and outside, you're bound to hear a bit of the performance. There will also be a video screen at the Vredenburg Leidsche Rijn if you'd like to see more of the performance. Full details on the Oude Muziek festival can be found on the website, with information in Dutch and some English.

Saturday night, beginning at 20:00, the Impakt Open Air 2 film festival will be taking place at the Neude. Short films, including previews of the Re:visie program from this year's upcoming Nederland Film Festival, will be shown on a big screen outdoors at the Neude, with a BBQ (organic meat and vegetarian options included), cocktail bar, and DJs to keep things fun and festive. Entry is free, and if the weather happens to turn nasty, the event will be moved to Moira, Wolvenstraat 10.

Between the Giro D'Italia and the Tour De France, cycling has been even bigger here in the Netherlands this year. If you want to enjoy a bit more racing drama, head to the Maliebaan this Sunday, 29 August, for the 54th International Tour of Central Netherlands (Internationale Ronde van Midden-Nederland). The race starts at 12:30 and ends around 17:30, with the start and finish at the Maliebaan. Throughout the day, there will also be various related events in the area and at the Utrecht Archives.

In only a few hours Sail2010 will begin with the fantastic Sail Parade, the arrival of a huge array of Dutch and International ships in the Ij harbor. The opening will stretch from 10am to 3pm, which is a big window of time for everyone to catch a glimpse. Starting at 10am tomorrow there will also be activities for children at Pirate Island (thematically renamed section of Java Island). There will also be an area for MINI-SAIL which is apparently where miniature boats will be featured.

The entire Sail event is not widely known outside of the Netherlands but make no mistake, this event, which takes place every 5 years, is right up there among this city's biggest and most fun events.

Naturally for full information, including what is happening at what time on each day, as well as full descriptions of featured ships, consult their website. I'll also be keeping an eye on SAIL2010's twitter account for details as to what is going on throughout the long weekend.

No, Summer Darkness doesn't refer to the overcast weather we've had recently here in Utrecht. It's the annual dark underground lifestyle weekend held in Utrecht every year. This alternative festival is a mix of fashion shows, shopping, music, dance and more. Not surprisingly many of the events take place in the shadow of the Gothic Domtoren.

One of the major features of the event is the music, which includes gothrock, retro-wave, gothic-metal, avant-garde, darkambient, medieval, neo-folk, darkwave, industrialrock, and neo-classical. The musical acts booked for this year come from a variety of countries and include: And One, DAF, Brendan Perry, Leatherstrip, Project Pitchfork, Clan of Xymox, Grendel, Faith & The Muse, Aesthetic Perfection, and many many more.

Along with the music, DJs and dance parties, there are markets set up on the Domplein, for all your shopping needs, from clothing and wigs, to CDs and home decorations, all with a dark spin, of course. There are also fashion shows and musical performances going on in the Domplein throughout the weekend. The events here are free and open to the public and are great for the more casual weekend attendee. They're also great for photographers, as many of the people attending are dressed to impress and are often more than happy to serve as an impromptu model.

The event takes place August 13-15 at various locations around Utrecht. Tickets can be bought for the whole event at €65, or can be purchased for individual days for €37, and single tickets for individual events are sometimes available, starting at €15. Tickets may be purchased through Ticketservice or at the cash desk of Tivoli Oudegracht during office hours, and at Plato record store. Full ticket info is available on the official website (in English), as is the full program with all the locations, times and individual events.

This weekend the In Vervoering Festival is on the move in Utrecht. Taking place at different locations around the city, the festival is a collection of art, music, poetry and theater presented and performed on mobile stages, including horse-drawn wagons, boats and tricycles.

On Saturday, 7 August, five bus stops along Bus Line 2 in the Museum Quarter will be transformed into performance stages. While still serving their primary function as a bus stop, they will also be the home to a variety of performances, running from 14:00 to 18:00. At 20:00 until 23:00, the entertainment moves to the Leidig Erf. Sunday, 8 August, the day's events will be taking place at Lepelenburg Park from 14:00 to 20:00. All festival events are free.

Some of the performances at the festival include: Paper Tiger, Kim Janssen, The Medics, El Pino & The Volunteers, This Leo Sunrise, Breaking Ground, and Filmmachine. For a full list of events, visit the festival website (in Dutch).

Here are some summer concerts that may be just what the doctor ordered for the last weekend of July 2010:

Saturday

George Clinton and Paliament Funkadelic - I've seen George perform in Amsterdam before and let me tell you, there is no better place on the planet to experience his show. - Paradiso; 7pm; €30 plus membership.

If you like amazing guitar players then the Concertgebouw is the place to check out "Jazz Guitar Summer Night" feature the best of the best in Holland. 8:15pm, prices range from €22 to €30.

Sunday

The Pogues are back and the word is, better than ever. Find out for yourself. - Melkweg; 7pm; €47.50 plus membership.

Sugar Factory at the Beach. Yes why not, the legendary Amsterdam night club has taken its party to the beach, featuring Tentempiés and The Tunes. 3pm, free entry.

The coming of August means the 7th edition of the Pluk de Nacht Open Air Film Festival in Amsterdam. Don't be thrown off by the name Film Festival, this is not some elite schmooz fest where only the rich and famous come to be seen. NO. This is a very open and very relaxed series of outdoor film events that you can easily get addicted to.

Films from all over the world - check.
Short films, documentaries and full length feature films - check.
Fun, Food, and Drink in the festival area - check.
The right to bring your own everything - check check.

Among my three that most interest me this year:

This American Life - Yes, Ira Glass's popular radio program actually has a TV show version, and it will be playing on the 12 of August.
The Crying Game - Famous punchline of plenty of jokes. Also a groundbreaking film I haven't seen in years. August 8th.
Winnebago man, 13th of August. I have long wanted to see this film about the man who sells the beloved vehicles.

FInd your film choices and join the fun in just over a week!

Fans of Nijntje, AKA Miffy, the little bunny created by artist Dick Bruna, may be interested to know that this week only, entrance to the Dick Bruna Huis in Utrecht is free. According to the Centraal Museum's Facebook page, there is one catch, though. You have to be sporting a mustache. However, if you're folliclely challenged in the upper lip area, it seems that mustaches, like art, are open to interpretation. Draw one on, print one out, or find some other way to get creative. Just put on your best mustache.

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 11:00-17:00, and is located at Nicolaaskerkhof 10, Utrecht.

The weather may not be wonderful today - we actually saw some rain in Leiden earlier - but generally summer allows for outdoor activities on a more regular basis. Beach trips, cycling, and picnics are all possibilities that should be taken advantage of in the summer months - but have you thought about watching a film or enjoying some music in the open air?

If you're near Amsterdam, be sure to check out the Vondelpark's Open Lucht Theater, which aims to entertain visitors all summer long. They have a full summer schedule available online. For example, next week (30 July - 1 August) offers 11 different options for interested attendees. You can see everything from a dance company to films to classical music concerts just during this three-day period. You can even reserve your tickets online.

The Open Lucht Theater runs until the end of August, so be sure to stop by one of their events before or after exploring the lovely Vondelpark in Amsterdam. Now get out there and enjoy the summer!

If you've watch the tv show The Amazing Race, you may have seen the episode in which the contestants were here in the Netherlands and they had to compete in the traditional Dutch sport of Fierste Ljepper. If you haven't seen the show or don't remember that event, it's the one where competitors use a long pole to launch themselves across a canal of various widths and depths. From all impressions, it's a lot harder than it sounds.

Tomorrow, 24 July, there's the Red Bull Fierste Ljepper competition here in Utrecht. It starts at 14:00 and takes place over by the Geldmuseum located at Leidseweg 90, Utrecht. The best of the best will be competing, with a 14-meter pole, a 2.5 meter-high ramp and a water depth of 3 meters. The location is accessible by foot, bike or tram. Details are listed here (in Dutch).