Tytsjerksteradiel Blooms!

Dorpsbelangen Ryptsjerk attended an inspirational evening hosted by Fryslân Bloeit and was inspired to organize a Bloeiweek in their village as well. The second informational evening has now taken place, and a small group of enthusiastic people will soon become the nerve center for Bloeiweek. That’s exactly the idea: that it’s not the Village Association but a core group that coordinates and oversees the event. They won’t organize the activities themselves—that will be done by small groups of residents or local clubs. Health as many people as possible, young and old, involved!  

The ideas currently on the table cover a wide range: from circular street decorations, birdwatching, DIY and dining, and a "Himmeldei" event to a singing workshop. As a result, several villagers are already involved in this exploratory phase. Fryslân Bloeit can provide support, but this is not mandatory. Subsidies are available from the municipality for all villages, and the citizen initiative coordinator can also contribute ideas and offer advice.  

The experience in Ryptsjerk shows that it’s important to start early and take the time to involve a broad group of residents who actively participate. It turns out that the more people are involved in the planning, the higher the turnout during Bloeiweek. In this case, it’s the Village Association taking the lead, but it could just as easily be a small group of neighbors who inspire the rest of the village. The cliché holds true for Bloeiweken as well: every beginning is difficult. One reassuring fact: all the villages that have held a Bloeiweek are wildly enthusiastic and report that the second time around is already much easier.  

We're curious to see how things will unfold in Ryptsjerk. They're one step closer to getting a great Bloeiweek off the ground!   

In mid-August, it was Eastermar’s turn to host its second Bloeiweek. Following the success of last year’s event, this year featured even more activities and even more participants. Great!

Activities

In the run-up to the festival week, villagers enthusiastically set to work decorating the streets. During the week itself, there was plenty to do: inspiring talks on blossoming and growth, an art exhibition featuring local talent in the church, and the festive opening of the new fitness trail. The village campground also attracted many visitors once again and was a huge success.

Due to the bad weather, it looked as though the Canal Concert and the Doarpsiterij might be canceled. Fortunately, thanks to a local water sports entrepreneur who made his boathouse available, these events were able to go ahead after all. 

On September 28, 2025, Earnewâld hosted its very first Bloeiweek. Following an inspiring kickoff with Fryslân Bloeit, the village sprang into action. Through presentations, brainstorming sessions, and a program distributed door-to-door, everyone was involved in the preparations.

A large tent and lots of activities

With the help of the Oranjevereniging, a large tent served as the central gathering spot near the harbor. The tent was cozy and inviting, furnished with plenty of tables and chairs, a children’s corner, and an inspiration table where people could take home or exchange cuttings and plant seeds. It was a great place for villagers to meet up. The week kicked off festively with hand-crocheted and knitted flags—an idea and call to action from the crochet café. For the first youth activity, parents and children were building boats in the autumn sunshine.  

The rest of the week was filled with surprising and educational activities. A foraging walk, a storytime picnic hosted by dbieb, a workshop on making a bee-feeding tray with beekeeper Bertus Adema, a cooking contest, ballroom dancing, and “Piksjitte op é wal.” People of all ages joined in. Many activities arose spontaneously, such as enjoying coffee together in the morning sun.

Bloeiweek showed just how wonderful it is to do things together. It led to new encounters, new conversations, and sometimes even new hobbies. Earnewâld was in full bloom… and everyone could feel it! 

On August 23, 2025, Jistrum was buzzing with excitement: the new MFA De Trochset was officially opened. The turnout was huge and the atmosphere was fantastic. After placing a time capsule, visitors were invited inside to raise a toast and enjoy the first performances, including street dance and a special song by Melle Leegstra.

The festive day transitioned seamlessly into the start of Jistrum’s first Bloeiweek. That evening, Joost Wiersma drew a full house, and on Sunday, the PKN presented a full program: a group breakfast, a service featuring the Zandtovenaar, a brunch, and a fun hexathlon.

Throughout the week, many people stopped by to participate, watch, or just have a cup of coffee. Young people pitched in wholeheartedly, and the MFA became a place for everyone. The Bloeiweek brought the village closer together: new encounters, pleasant conversations, and a strong sense of community.

Jistrum showed how a small village can have a big impact. 

Tips and advice from the Jistrum Working Group for other villages

• Look for hidden talents in the village.
• Health a core group Health handles coordination and leaves the organization of an activity to a group of volunteers.
• The activity is important, but the real value lies in what comes next.
• Don't worry if your events don't attract many sign-ups at first. It'll work out.

High Five Sportstimulering is dedicated to promoting sports and physical activity for people of all ages, from 0 to 100. In villages and municipalities, we develop and organize activities, expand the range of physical activities available, inspire residents, and bring local stakeholders together.

Our expertise lies in promoting physical activity, healthy lifestyles, and fall prevention. Our goal is to help residents achieve physical and mental well-being and vitality.

What We Do

• We develop and implement physical activity programs for toddlers, preschoolers, elementary school students, teenagers, adults, and seniors.
• We support sports organizations, community groups, and schools in organizing sports and physical activity programs.
• We promote health topics such as:
  • Healthy Food at Events
  • Healthy School & Drinking Water School
  • JOGG: Healthy Youth, Healthy Future
  • An environment that encourages physical activity
• We connect local organizations such as clubs, schools, physical therapists, general practitioners, and more.
• We use sports and physical activity to foster social interaction, health, and collaboration
• We help prevent falls
  • By participating in fitness tests
  • Refer residents to appropriate fall prevention training programs
  • Raising awareness in villages

What villages can expect from us

• Access to our sports and recreational equipment: villages can borrow equipment to facilitate activities.
• Connections with relevant partners: 
  • We connect villages with organizations, schools, physical therapists, primary care physicians, and other stakeholders who contribute to an active and healthy village.
  • Including a partnership with Kearn Welzijn to promote health, well-being, and social connections in the village.
• Support in developing activities or programs: we help villages turn ideas into activities that are tailored to the needs and ages of the community.
• Contributing our expertise in sports promotion and healthy lifestyles: We ensure that plans are substantively sound and feasible, drawing on our knowledge of physical activity, health, JOGG themes, and the strengthening of local sports infrastructure.
• Fall Prevention: We are working on fall prevention and can help communities explore their options and identify local partners that can assist them.
• Inspiration and examples from previous Bloeiweken: we can demonstrate what’s possible by drawing on experiences from the Bloeiweken in Eastermar, Ryptsjerk, Jistrum, and other locations.

During the biodiversity workshop at the “Tytsjerksteradiel Bloeit” inspiration evening, the focus was on how we can make nature more visible and accessible during the flowering season. It’s not just about plants and animals, but also about the connection between people and nature.

By pausing for a moment to look and listen closely, you can better see and appreciate the nature around you. This inspires a sense of wonder. When people appreciate nature, they also want to take better care of it.

During the Blooming Weeks, people are invited to go outside and take part in activities such as walking or gardening. Even small actions make a difference. Working and experiencing things together is key. In this way, the Blooming Weeks help to strengthen nature and bring people closer together and more connected to their surroundings.

Ideas for activities

To give concrete form to that sense of working and experiencing things together, various ideas were gathered during the inspiration evening. Here is an overview.

Experience and discover

Activities that help you experience nature and see it in a new light

• Nature walks (for example, with a guide)
• Birdwatching, insect-watching, or nature walks
• Silent walks or sensory trails (barefoot path)
• Cycling or boating routes through nature reserves
• Outdoor activities such as yoga, mindfulness, or simply relaxing in nature
• Farm-to-table dinner featuring local and organic products
• Discover what's growing on your street or along the roadside (plant bingo)
• Nature walks with explanations about biodiversity and ecosystems.  
• Garden Check: How Green Is Your Garden?  
• Combining stories about nature and heritage: nature stories from the village.
• Workshops on eco-friendly gardening
• Catching and observing small creatures in the ditch

Get started

Activities where you work together and contribute

• Planting flower bulbs or sowing flowers in the street or garden
• Making and installing nesting boxes for birds, bats, and hedgehogs
• Make an insect hotel
• Starting or visiting a vegetable garden (open house)  
• Foraging, with an optional cooking workshop
• Preserving vegetables from the garden.
• Crafting with natural materials
• Creating art with branches, flowers, or yard waste
• Making green pieces
• Scavenger hunts or gnome trails for children
• Activities that combine nature and creativity
• Nature painting (painting in or inspired by nature)
• Making a nature craft (using seasonal materials)
• Eco-Cathedral.

Connect

Activities that bring people together through nature:

• Working together to create a greener neighborhood
• Activities with schools or community centers
• Tastings or gatherings featuring local products
• Sharing ideas and knowledge with one another
• Small initiatives launched by residents themselves
• Plants and/or seeds Library/Market
• Geocaching
• Nature Pub Quiz  
• Making music with natural materials.