Top 5 royal celebrations

1 Queen’s day, Amsterdam

Queen’s Day, or Koninginnedag, is when the Netherlands goes orange crazy. The streets, the shops, the restaurants, and people everywhere are draped in the national colour
in celebration of the royal family.

Festivities actually kick off the evening before, when you can celebrate Koninginnenacht, Queen’s Day Eve. There are street markets and a grand fair in The Hague, capital of the South Holland province. There are also countless concerts and street parties which attract hundreds of thousands
of people every year.

After the sun goes down, the Hague Festivals, which start on April 30 and run right through to July, begin. Stages appear on every street corner and square, hosting everything from local bands and art exhibitions to comedy.
As The Hague is known as Holland’s ‘city of rock’ there’s a definite heavier flavour throughout.

No Queen’s Day celebration is complete without a taste of ‘the night before’. The day itself, though, is when things step up a gear. Street markets, music and bars predominate, with a celebratory atmosphere and carnival party vibe taking over the country.

The royal family traditionally visit one or two towns, places which embody the national festivities and celebrations, and this meet-and-greet is broadcast live on national TV.

The unregulated street markets in Amsterdam’s city park Vondelpark are a must-see for anyone keen to cast their eyes over tacky royal trinkets, as are concerts at the city’s Museumplein square for those after some aural indulgence, with all genres of music represented at this outdoor event.

Whether it’s genuine patriotism or the love of a good party that fuels the festivities is anyone’s guess. But you can hardly blame the Dutch – Queen Beatrix’s actual birthday is January 31, but it was decided to stick with the Queen mum’s birthday (April 30), as it happens to fall on a day in late spring that is far more suited to all-day outdoor partying.

koninginnedagamsterdam.nl

thehaguefestivals.com/en