Queen’s Day in Amsterdam is the biggest party in town. Of course we all know what a party it is in Amsterdam, but take this day (and proceeding night) and you’ll amazed at how hard locals and tourists of Amsterdam party.
The day, April 30th, is marked as Queen’s Day (Koninginnedag in Dutch), is a national holiday celebrated to honour the Queen of The Netherlands. As Queen Beatrix’s birthday is actually on January 31st, the nation, along with the Queen, celebrates the Queen on April 30th, as no one wants to party out in the cold.
Now if you’re wondering exactly what is the festival all about, well it’s pretty much a day to get dressed up and paint the town orange. When you take to the streets on Queens Day, you’ll see orange shoes, hair, banners, shirts and paint all around the city. The day is celebrated with the gloriously bright colour of orange, as it is the name of the royal family, The House of Orange.
As you peruse the streets in your most vibrant orange gear you’ll take to the biggest outdoor concerts at Museumplein and Rembrandtplein, party on with DJ’s through the streets, strum to a drum or two as you enjoy the day with the kids at Vondelpark, explore the Free Market Day where the streets are lined with bric-a-brac and sail the shining sea as you hop onto one of the brightly decorated boats along the Amsterdam canal.
There certainly isn’t a second to rest while in Amsterdam celebrating the Queen, and so if you’re looking to partake in one crazy-bright orange festival like no other, Queen’s Day will certainly become your own yearly tradition.
Photo Courtesy of Flickr.com/Sean Rowe