Fresh from the Start Party
- July 20, 2026
- 5 min read
Fris van Startfeest, a party in the Loosduinen district where the neighborhood comes together
In the Loosduinen district, the Fris van Start party brings residents, shopkeepers, and organizations from Houtwijk together. The event takes place at the shopping center and focuses on socializing, conviviality, and sustainability. Following the positive reactions to the first edition, the party returns once again, this time as a collaboration between the Houtwijk Neighborhood Council and the shopkeepers' association.
The Fris van Start Party shows what can emerge when residents and entrepreneurs organize something together for their neighborhood. For Larissa Gelauf is that exactly why this initiative is so valuable. She sees how activities are emerging again after a quiet period and how enthusiastically residents and shopkeepers are responding to them.
New life for the shopkeepers' association
Initiator Ed Jacobs is a board member of both the shopkeepers' association and the Houtwijk Neighbourhood Council. The idea for the collaboration arose when the neighbourhood council noticed that there was no longer an active shopkeepers' association.
Contact was made with former board members, and together they worked on a fresh start. This led to a new board and new activities for residents and visitors of the shopping center.
More activity in the neighborhood
The Fris van Start party was well received and generated many positive reactions. For the neighborhood council and the shopkeepers' association, it is important that things are happening in Houtwijk again and that residents can meet each other in an accessible way.
In addition to conviviality, sustainability also plays a role in the program. This gives the event not only a festive character but also a substantive one.
Proud of Fris from Startfeest
Organizing together for Houtwijk
What makes the Fris van Start party special is the collaboration between the neighborhood council and the shopkeepers' association. Instead of each organizing activities separately, they combine their knowledge, network, and commitment.
This creates a celebration that is widely supported and truly resonates with the neighborhood. The initiative demonstrates how collaboration can lead to greater involvement, new energy, and a stronger connection between residents and entrepreneurs.
Proud of what is created together
Within Nieuw70, the Fris van Start party is an example of how local collaboration can breathe new life into a neighborhood. The initiative fosters social interaction, strengthens the shopping center, and gives residents something to look forward to together. Larissa and Ed are visibly proud of it.
Other great initiatives to be proud of
- June 3, 2026
- <1 min read