MOI Festival celebrates the power of Grunnegs and Drèents

On Saturday 26 September, SPOT De Oosterpoort in Groningen will celebrate the Groningen and Drenthe regional languages. During the MOI Festival, children and their parents can engage with these regional languages ​​through music, theatre, storytelling, games, and various activities. The University of Groningen (RUG)—specifically the Faculty of Arts—is actively contributing to the festival.

A living regional language

Regional language is alive and well—even in the lives of today’s children and young people. That is what the MOI Festival demonstrates. The organizers show us—and let us experience—that regional language is more than just a part of our cultural past. By linking regional language to play, stories, music, and social interaction, children are introduced to the Groningen and Drenthe dialects in a natural, effortless way.

What’s on?

From 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, SPOT De Oosterpoort transforms into a gathering place where regional languages ​​take center stage. Visitors can enjoy face painting, take part in a scavenger hunt, listen to stories in the reading corner, and get creative in the craft area. There will also be a photo booth, an RTV Noord bouncy castle, Klouk/Loos, music, and theater.

Regional languages ​​in society

The MOI festival is part of the project of the same name. The festival on September 26 marks a key moment in the MOI project. Organizations, the education sector, the cultural world, and the scientific community are coming together to address a shared question: how do we ensure that *Grunnegs* (Gronings) and *Drèents* (Drents) remain relevant for young people too?

The MOI project is part of the broader initiative concerning the Groningen and Drenthe languages ​​within the Nij Begun framework, in which the University of Groningen (RUG) plays a key role. Other partners include Erfgoed in Groningen, Huus van de Taol, and NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences. Representing the RUG, the Faculty of Arts contributes to making regional languages ​​visible, accessible, and meaningful to a new generation. In doing so, the MOI project aligns with the university’s focus on language, culture, and the ways in which regional languages ​​and varieties evolve and find their place in society.

• What : MOI Festival is a family festival for children, parents, grandparents, and the education sector to celebrate regional languages ​​(Gronings and Drents) and culture.

• When : Saturday, 26 September 2026, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM

• Where : SPOT De Oosterpoort in Groningen

• Admission : Free