Since 1977, it has offered a fun week-long holiday for children aged 6 to 12 (primary school age), where they build their own huts from pallets and wood in groups.
The event takes place the week before the summer holidays and attracts at least 300 children annually.
Besides carpentry, there are activities such as a mayoral election (where a child mayor guides the real mayor), a viewing evening for parents, an overnight stay in the huts, and sometimes a treasure hunt or lottery.
It began as part of summer games for children who didn't go on holiday and has grown into a beloved tradition.
Since 2018, Houtdorp Rijssen has been included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Netherlands Inventory, due to its generational transmission (many volunteers are former participants).
It is supported by volunteers, sponsors, and the municipality, with an emphasis on sustainability (clean wood, waste separation).
In the past, it ended with the huts burning down, but that doesn't always happen anymore.
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