Queen’s Day in Amsterdam

Queen’s Day (in Dutch: Koninginnedag) in Amsterdam is a unique night and day carnival-like event on 30th of April each year and during the night before – so called Queen’s Night (in Dutch: Koninginnenacht). What is special about the Queen’s Day, that having elements of the huge party across the whole city, it is combined with the market in the streets of the whole city (in Dutch: Vrijmarkt).

Queensday AmsterdamQueen’s Day in Amsterdam attracts each year ca 700 thousands visitors, which makes the city crowded beyond any acceptable norms. Despite overcrowding, the atmosphere on Queen’s Day is traditionally relaxed and joyful. Usually mild, not too hot weather makes the Queen’s Day the day to be in Amsterdam. To feel the atmosphere on the day please, watch the Queen’s Day video.

The tradition of Queensday

The Queen’s Birthday
Queen’s Day festivities began before the World War II with the celebration of birthday of Queen Wilhelmina on August 31 and since 1949, celebration of the birthday of her daughter and successor on the Dutch throne Queen Juliana, on April 30.

When Queen Beatrix succeeded Juliana in 1980, she decided to keep the Queen’s Day on April 30. Her own birthday is in the middle of winter (January 31), so celebrating it outside would be difficult. Until today, many especially older people call the holiday the Queen’s Birthday.

There is a rule that if the day of April 30 falls on the day free of work, the Queen’s Day is celebrated on the day before. Coming years Queen’s Day will be celebrated on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 and Thursday, April 30, 2009.

The Queen meets people
Traditionally, on this day the Queen visits one of the cities in the country, and meets celebrating people. Television reports live on these meetings during the day.

Dressing in Orange
Celebrating Queen’s Day means dressing in orange clothes (as the reigning dynasty is House of Orange and this is their color), painting faces and hair orange, drinking drinks tinted in this color (or just natural orange juice), wearing mock orange crowns, dressing as the queen and making jokes at the royal family. As some of the jokes may seem to you slightly inappropriate, they express deep attachment Dutch people have to their Royal Family, which seen in the Netherlands as the symbol of national unity.

Free market on Queensday

On the Queen’s Day, starting early in morning (as early as 6 a.m.) in all cities and villages of the Netherlands almost everybody tries to do his own garage sale, selling objects at low, symbolic prices, mostly for 20, 50 cents, and rarely above € 1,-.

It is in the tradition to bargain about the price when buying. Sometimes, especially when children are the sellers, the buyer raises the price – for example from 50 cents to 60, refusing to buy for less. Funny, reversed negotiating starts, where often the seller is ready to give away the merchandise free, while you are expected to refuse to lower your offer. This all is part of fun on this unique day, especially for children who make their first turnover usually selling their old toys.

The best market areas are Vondelpark, where children are selling and buying (Kindermarkt) and shows and concerts for children take place and the Jordan quarter. Last years Apollolaan, a wide street in front of the Hilton hotel in the South Amsterdam, with its vast grass areas used for picnic, became also very popular.

Transportation during the Queen’s Day

The Dutch railways have always a special train schedule for this day. Their main task is to bring Dutch people to the city and back home. Therefore, international trains do not stop on Queen’s Day on the Central Station, but depart from one of the following stations: Schiphol, Utrecht and Amersfoort. On the Queen’s Day, there are fewer connections by train with the Schiphol airport. You may also get to the Schiphol airport by bus 258 or 370 (from the Marnixstraat Bus Station).

Please note that the luggage lockers at Amsterdam Central Station and at Amsterdam Amstel Station are closed from 7 p.m. in the evening before the Queens Day, until 7 a.m. in the morning on the day after the Queen’s Day.

City public transport:
On the Queen’s Day, public transport does not function in a big part of the city center. Trams and busses are rerouted.
There are three simplified routes for all trams to facilitate transport to and from Central Station.
You should pay for the ticket using strippenkaart as any other day.

Cars:
The whole car traffic in the center of Amsterdam stops. In principle, even the taxis may not enter the center of Amsterdam. In some years police stops cars already at the freeway exit, directing them away from the center.
If you are stuck with the car in town and you do not intend to stay for the Queen’s Day, you have to leave early in the morning, at latest at 8 a.m. Later on, because of the crowd in all streets leaving the city will be impossible.

On the positive side for the car owners – you do not have to pay for the parking in Amsterdam on the Queen’s Day (with the exception of the P+R car parks, where a fixed € 5,50 rate pays for the whole day).

We advise you not to park your car in the street in a direct neighborhood of the music concerts or parties. Your car may be involuntarily damaged by the celebrating people.

Queen’s Night (Koninginnenacht)
Celebrating Queen’s Day begins already on the evening of the day before, usually at 7 p.m., and goes on until the early hours of the Queen’s Day. It is so called Queen’s Night, when all clubs across the Netherlands organize special festivities. Especially for the young people this is the night to be in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is very busy that night as many young people move across the city from one party to another, while others prepare the next day market.

Traditional singing and dancing
The quarter of Jordan is the most crowded on the Queen’s Day, not only with traders, food stands and beer taps but also with large groups of people singing traditional Dutch songs. These are simple, rhythmic songs mostly describing the beauty of Amsterdam. While you might not be able to follow the words, the atmosphere is always unique, friendly, relaxed. Enjoy it!

Rock concerts and partying
A rock concert on Museumplein begins usually at 11 a.m. and goes on until late in the afternoon attracting thousands of young participants. Other places with disco music live and recorded are Leidseplein and Stoperaplein (at the Waterlooplein).

All clubs in Amsterdam organize parties on this day. In many parts of the city, speakers with loud music are put out on the street and improvised parties take place. It is natural to join them, even if you do not know the participants.

The boats full of dancing people circulate Amsterdam canals. You may observe most of them on the Prinsengracht, in front of the Anne Frank’s House. Many boats have own, amplified music and are in fact sailing parties.

Gay parties
Amsterdam, being an important city for the world’s gay scene, celebrates Queen’s day in all traditionally gay clubs and bars. Usually a big open-air party for gay and gay friendly people is held on the Westermarkt at the Homo Monument (beginning at 11 a.m. on the Queen’s day until late in the afternoon), and another one at the Reguliersdwarsstraat, in a 10 minutes walking distance from Leidseplein.

Accommodation for Queensday
If you plan to visit Amsterdam during the next Queen’s Day (30 April) make your hotel reservation many months in advance. There is absolutely no chance to find a good hotel or even youth hostel on the last minute, any private apartments or bed and breakfast’s are usually taken years in advance.

Useful tips for Queensday:

• As you are going to spend your day among the crowd, leave you valuables in your hotel.
• You are going to walk a lot. Comfortable shoes are essential.
• Take a lot of change in your pockets, especially 50 cents and € 1 coins. You may want to buy something on the market, even if you had not intended to do it.
• All the main food stores are open on the Queen’s Day. You may get there your food and drinks.
• While you may drink alcohol in the street on the Queen’s Day, it is not allowed to carry more than one alcohol drink with you (one bottle or can). Carrying six-pack of beer in the open may be seen by a police officer as a breach of this rule. Drinks are usually €1,50 or € 2,-.
• Consider forgetting about your camera for this one, special day. Take part in the event! Free Queensday pictures and videos you can always download from our web site.

No related posts.