Elim offers several reasons to visit, each appealing to different interests: architectural and local history, recurring village festivals, and outdoor activities. You can plan your travel dates and accommodation around the themes that interest you most.

Canal Village History and Architecture

Elim originally developed as a canal village. The first buildings stood along the banks of the Dwarsgat connecting canal, near the present-day intersection of Dorpsstraat and Langewijk. This places the early settlement specifically by the water. The village’s later history is also connected with its canals, though in a different way.

The Pullevaart disappeared in the early 1970s, after the canals had been filled in and trucks increasingly came into use. The Pullevaarder monument depicts milk churns (Pullen) being transported by horse and cart to the dairy in Hoogeveen. In the past, on the first Thursday of each month, farmers would go to the factory on Pulledag to collect the money for their churns. Waterways, transport and rural life thus belong to different chapters of the village’s history.

The Hervormde Kerk in Elim offers another historical perspective. It was built in 1916 to a design by Amsterdam architect J. Beijlevelt. Its brick architecture is related to the architecture of Berlage. The year it was built, its architect and its stylistic connection give the village’s history a clear cultural and historical dimension, distinct from the earlier story of canals and milk transport.

Festivals Throughout the Year

The annual Feestweek is a varied village festival with a programme for all ages. Dates and programme details change from year to year. If you want to plan your trip around the event, check the dates and programme for the relevant year.

Bloemencorso Elim takes place every September. The parade features floats decorated with dahlias; exact dates and programme details vary from year to year. For travel planning, September is the recurring seasonal timeframe, while the specific date and schedule should be checked each year. The two events are therefore distinct: Feestweek is a village festival with a changing programme, while Bloemencorso is a dahlia parade in September.

Nature and Leisure

Carpe Vitam, also known as Het Knabbelbos, is an edible forest in Elim. Its focus is on sustainable living, self-sufficiency and respect for the ecosystem. For travellers interested in these topics, the forest offers a different focus from the architectural history and festival traditions: here, the emphasis is on the connection between nature and self-sufficiency.

Zwemplas Schoonhoven lies between Elim and Hollandscheveld in a small natural area. The lake has a sandy beach, a sunbathing lawn, and various sports and play facilities. There are also extensive opportunities for swimming, surfing and fishing. The focus here is on water-based and leisure activities, setting it apart from Elim’s cultural and historical attractions.

There are walking and cycling routes in and around Elim. They offer another way to include outdoor exercise on land in your stay. When choosing accommodation, you can therefore consider these routes as a different focus from swimming, surfing or fishing at Zwemplas. If you want to plan your trip around a festival, check the specific dates for that year; otherwise, you can weigh the village’s architectural history, local history and outdoor activities according to your own interests.

Discover more destinations: Stuifzand, Nieuwlande, Nieuweroord, Fluitenberg, Hollandscheveld, Pesse, Tiendeveen, Hoogeveen

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