Kingsday in Amsterdam

The captivating splendour of Kingsday in Amsterdam

Put on an orange hat, t-shirt, scarf or even orange shoes and join the massive birthday party celebration for King Willem Alexander. Orange is, of course, the country’s national colour.

This huge birthday party takes place each year and offers plenty of colour and revelry. If you’re going to Amsterdam, it might well be to your advantage just to research a little bit about the history of the Dutch monarchy, as it is bound to make your party celebrations that much more meaningful.

Festival on a colossal scale

This huge festival, held each year on the 27th April is no ordinary party – it is a full day packed with loads of activities. If you’re planning a trip to Holland in 2020, why not make it coincide with this exciting event? Just make sure to book early as this is a hugely popular happening on the Dutch calendar.

The organizers of the event tell us that even though the weather in Holland is erratic over April, come hell or high water this party is on! Celebrations aren’t restricted to Amsterdam – there are celebrations throughout the Netherlands, but the most popular place to be is Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht. You’ll find drink, food and music a-plenty and you can even have your face painted orange to simply blend into the scene.

Children are well catered for too, and in fact, for Amsterdam’s King’s Day, they set aside certain areas for children to lay out their stalls. The Vondelpark is set aside for children under the age of 16 for their stalls and this opens at 09:00.

2023 Kingsday party even more magical

Are you going to be among the 700 000 or so visitors to the 2023 street party? There’ll be huge music events happening on the outskirts of the city at places such as Meerpark, the Olympic Stadium, Pampuslaan and others. If these music concerts aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other activities right in the centre of town and all over. You won’t find any public transport, cars or taxis being allowed through the center of Amsterdam on King’s Day.

On this day all buses etc are re-routed in favour of pedestrians. One interesting aspect with King’s Day festivities is that celebrations are already starting around midnight, and pubs will only close for an hour or so before sunrise before opening again. At 6 in the morning, you’ll find the ‘free market’ starting where you can find some amazing stuff for sale at next-to-nothing prices. Among all the bric-a-brac at the flea markets, you can pick up some fantastic bargains such as musical instruments and electronics.

While the street market starts early, most of the other events start at midday. Nearly all events finish at about 20.00. Just bear in mind, that if you want to attend one of the organised parties, you’ll need a ticket.

Kingsday Amsterdam is entertainment Non-Stop

You won’t be bored for one minute at this party because all kinds of street performers are moving among the crowds. Dancers, musicians and jesters – you name it – they’re all trying to get your attention.

If the crowds become too overwhelming, many people hop into one of the boats on the canals to experience King’s Day from a different angle. You just have to bear in mind that the canals only have one-way traffic.

Of course, there are all kind of tickets and specials going for this special day, some lasting an hour, 5 hours or even 120 hours. With these ‘access cards,’ you can be visiting heaps of attractions free of charge or at discount prices and getting unlimited access to Amsterdam’s public transport too.

On this special birthday in Holland make sure you’ve got lots of money because there is so much you might want to try out or buy. Get right into the Dutch spirit of things, more so when you’ve chosen your party location well.