27 Apr 2025
The NetherlandsWhat is Kingsday?
Kingsday (Koningsdag) is a national holiday in the Netherlands celebrated annually on April 27th. It’s the day the Dutch celebrate the birthday of the current king Willem-Alexander.
History of Kingsday
Willem-Alexander isn’t the first member of the Royal Dutch family to have his birthday as a national holiday. It was previously known as Queensday (Koninginnedag) when the monarch was female, his mother Queen Beatrix.
Willem-Alexander isn’t the first member of the Royal Dutch family to have his birthday as a national holiday. It was previously known as Queensday (Koninginnedag) when the monarch was female, his mother Queen Beatrix.
Why visit Kingsday?
- Nationwide street party The entire country celebrates with outdoor parties, concerts and events turning cities into massive street festivals.
- Free Markets (Vrijmarkten) Explore the iconic flea markets that pop up across the country. Hunt for unique treasures and bargains as locals sell personal items on the streets.
- Royal Family visit Catch a glimpse of the Dutch royal family during their ceremonial visit to a Dutch city.
- Kingsnight The party actually starts the night before with Kingsnight around 18:00h (6pm). A party atmosphere in most big cities with lots of indoor/outdoor parties.
- The Orange Madness Experience the Dutch "orange madness" in full force, with people dressing head-to-toe in orange clothing and decorations.
Top 3 cities to visit during Kingsday
1. Amsterdam
No surprise here but the capital of The Netherlands is also the most popular destination for Kingsday crowd.
There is a specific reason though. Amsterdam is the only city in the list famous for a particular part of the celebration by day.
The canal turns into one big party scene:
The canals are filled with party boats, there are massive street markets and parties throughout the city.
2. Utrecht
About a 40 minute drive from Amsterdam lays another top Kingsday city: Utrecht. This city is famous for its all-night flea market (vrijmarkt) that starts on Kingsnight around 6 PM and runs through Kingsday.
There are open stages on the big squares in the centre which are usually packed. So you have variety of activities to choose from what you rather like to see or combine it.
3. The Hague
About 1 hour drive equally from Amsterdam or Utrecht lays the ‘political capital of The Netherlands’ known as The Hague.
The city does it a bit different by organizing a huge outdoor festival called Life I Live music festival with open stages across the city during Kingsnight.
Most stages can be reached by walking and combining that with many beverage and food stalls in between will keep your belly and feet dancing all night long.
Most stages are within the centre area of the city (Malieveld, Statenkwartier, Noordeinde).
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