If you need an excuse to travel this Easter you won’t find one better than this. As we mentioned in our previous post Easter = holidays, Amsterdam is a great city to visit during the religious festival this year. Why? Well, Easter Sunday falls on the 24 April and so if you can stick around until the 30 April, you will get to experience one of the most important events held in the Netherlands, Queen’s Day. What we didn’t mention in our previous post is what Queen’s Day is all about…
Queen’s Day (Koninginnedag in Dutch) is held on the 30 April and it is a national holiday in the Netherlands. It celebrates the former Dutch Queen’s birthday and if it falls on a Sunday, the celebrations are held the day before. The most important celebrations are held in Amsterdam, but there are activities and parties held all over the country.
Here are some of the events organised on this day:-
• Queen’s Night
On the night before Queen’s Day there are special events organised in pubs and clubs all over the Netherlands.
• Free market
The streets of the Netherlands are converted into one big flee market or car boot sale. Anyone and everyone can take to the streets to sell whatever they like because on this day people do not have to pay taxes on their sales.
• Open air concerts
Thousands of tourists travel from all over the world to enjoy the live concerts held at different venues throughout the country. Amsterdam is perhaps the most popular.
• Vondelpark
There are family activities for all in Vondelpark… so Queen’s Day isn’t just for adults.
• Wear orange
If you have ever seen photos of Queen’s Day celebrations you will probably notice that orange is everywhere. The reason for this is that it is the colour of the Dutch Royal Family and it is worn for all national events. Make sure you wear something orange to blend in.
