Orange, orange and more orange. A thousand shades of orange. April 27th is the day when all of the Netherlands turns orange, on the occasion of the King's Day. During this nationwide holiday, where the country celebrates the birthday of its king, Koning Willem-Alexander, the whole country is transformed into a street party of enormous proportions. Large celebrations, such as parties, concerts and markets are held throughout the country. Amsterdam is undoubtedly the epicenter of the party, it is the best place to experience these celebrations. In addition to the inhabitants of Amsterdam itself, tens of thousands of foreign visitors come here every year. Everyone wears something orange, which is the color of the Dutch Royal Family, the House of Orange-Nassau.

Normally the whole city center of Amsterdam is filled with people celebrating. Many cafes and bars organize big parties with music and cocktails. People gather in small and large groups to dance and drink together. However, it is the Prinsengracht where the biggest attraction is located: the canal is filled with boats full of party people who celebrate the King's birthday with music, dancing and drinking. At the peak hours of the day there are so many boats there that they almost can't move!​

Flea Market

One of the most interesting aspects of the King's Day are the flea markets (vrijmarkt) that appear in all Dutch cities. Why is this? The Dutch are known for their tradesmanship and on Koningsdag the government officially allows street sales without having to pay for a street vending permit or taxes. Walking around the city of Amsterdam you will find informal stalls of all kinds. It is a joy to walk in the characteristic Jordaan district where you can find curiosities, vintage and non-vintage items that range from tacky to classy. Everything that. Was laying in the attic or basement is sold by the locals.

Children

But how do children celebrate? The King's party is a beautiful and special moment for them too. In fact, during this day there is no shortage of family traditions: one of these is taking part in the flea market in Vondelpark, for example, there are tables set up with their toys and clothing that they've grow out of. Other stalls instead offer playful activities to be carried out on the spot or homemade culinary specialties - such as biscuits or pancakes. And some talented young kids even take the stage to play some of the music they learned for the public.

What to eat on King's Day

King's Day is a special time, so why not celebrate with something special to eat? You can brighten up the day by eating something orange. Various options could be orange or carrot cakes, orange and salmon quiche but the one we prefer is the tompouche (pictured on the right). It is a Dutch dessert composed out of two layers of puff pastry filled with cream and topped with bright orange icing. A real pleasure for the palate!

History

But where does this tradition come from? Originally the festival was celebrated on August 31 and was called Prinsessedag (Princess's Day), which honored the birthday of the then Princess Wilhelmina. Once she became queen in 1890, the festival was renamed Koninginnedag (Queen's Day). Instead, we have had King's Day since 2014, since Willem-Alexander took the throne the year before.

It is his party but where does the King celebrate? Each year the King celebrates together with his family and other members of the royal family in a different Dutch municipality. For the occasion, the chosen municipality and the surrounding areas are decorated in a festive and characteristic way. Since 2014 the King celebrated Kingsday in these locations: De Rijp and Amstelveen, Dordrecht, Zwolle, Tilburg, Groningen, Amersfoort, and the Huis ten Bosch Palace.

King's Day during Corona​

Already in 2020, the Dutch Government and Royal House invited everyone to celebrate this anniversary from their own home, given the pandemic situation. Last year, Kingsday was also renamed the Balconyday: everyone was in fact invited to celebrate from their homes, from their balconies. For 2021 the people are cautioned to do the same. So no elaborate street celebrations or parties in the club, but digital events are numerous. The Dutch national anthem, het Wilhelmus, will be sung at 10am by all the Netherlands and the toast with the King and the royal family will be held at 4.30pm and can be seen live on television.

An initiative that we want to share with you is the "Vondelpark Live", a web platform that acts as a podium where the children of Amsterdam can perform in a livestream, showcasing their talents. The little artists perform as: bakers, singers, dancers, musicians, skaters, and much more. All these little artists can receive a donation and for this they wrote why they decided to perform: there are those who want to raise money for a new pair of skates or a new instrument, and there are also those who donate the proceeds to charity institutions.