Amsterdam’s beloved Kwaku Summer Festival will not return in its current form after this year, organizers announced, citing unsustainable rising costs and increasing regulatory burdens. The festival, a celebration of Surinamese culture, has been a fixture of the Amsterdam summer for over two decades. Soaring prices for security, infrastructure, and personnel have made it increasingly difficult to stage the large-scale event. Simultaneously, new regulations regarding noise levels and safety requirements have added to the logistical and financial challenges. Organizers explored various options to continue the festival, but ultimately concluded a significant change was necessary. They are now focused on exploring alternative, potentially smaller-scale formats for the future, but the iconic festival as Amsterdam knows it is coming to an end. The final Kwaku Summer Festival will proceed as planned this summer.