The foyer of the Theater aan het Spui is the beating heart of the festival. At the Friday Night Wintercafé, you will meet each other and the writers. Host and festival guide Francis Broekhuijsen guides your way through the program. Together with his guests he creates an inviting, homey atmosphere.

Listen to up-and-coming local poetic talent at the Wintercafé during the Spot on Young Poets program in collaboration with the Haags Dichtersgilde (The Hague Poets' Guild). The young poets are accompanied by professional poet Joost Baars, nominated for the VSB Poëzieprijs 2018 and young poetry slam-talent Sanam Sheriff from India. The winner of the Young Campert Prize will also be chosen.

Of course you can just relax and chat in the Wintercafé over a drink and a bite (a rich choice of biological-vegetarian delicacies made by ‘s-Peer Catering is on offer). Music is provided by DJ Socrates.

Throughout the evening, Van Stockum Bookshop offers a rich choice of books and poetry collections from the authors participating in the Winternachten festival: look out for and buy their latest books as well as older works, if available in Dutch and English language versions.

Book-signing sessions at Van Stockum Bookshop in the foyer:
21:00-21:30: Louise O. Fresco, Luuk van Middelaar, Alain Mabanckou
22:00-22:30: Magda Cârneci, Mohsin Hamid, Nino Haratischwili

The Friday Night Wintercafé is the place to plan out your evening, either with Francis Broekhuijsen as your guide, or all by yourself.

At the end of the evening, DJ Socrates lowers your thoughts to the level of your dancing shoes as he kicks off the night in true festival tradition and gets you ready for another festival day.