The queen's day is the feast that celebrates the queen's birthday and the national unity, but with the passing of time it is become above all a great chance to revel. The origin of the feast dates back to 1885: in the beginning it was called Princess day, as it was organised to celebrate Princess? Wilhelmina's birthday, but in 1890, when she was crowned queen, the feast's name was changed into Queen's day. Celebrations used to take place on the 31st of August (the queen's birthday), but when Juliana was crowned queen in 1948, the feast began to be held on the 30th of April (Juliana's birthday). Nowadays celebration still take place on this date, although Queen Beatrix's birthday is on the 31st of January.



The queen's day is celebrated in all Dutch cities, but if you want to enjoy the biggest and richest party you must plan a holiday in Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, indeed, the feast is more animated than anywhere else, and the city hosts a series of amusing happenings also on the 29th of April, when special events and parties are organised in pubs and discos to warm up people for the following day. On the one hand, visiting Amsterdam on the 30th of April might be a bit difficult, because of the huge number of people who crowd streets, bridges and canals, and who make it hard even to walk around the city; on the other hand, tourists can grab the chance to experience one of the best-known open-air festivals in Europe. During this day people go onto the streets wearing something orange (this is the colour of the royal family), revelling, dancing and singing. Every city corner is animated by music, improvised parties and buskers? performances, and every year also rock concerts are held. Not even canals are spared by the cheerful crowd: several decorated boats host floating parties and invade the waterways, wafting music all over the city.

However, the most peculiar feature of the festival is probably the flea market: the queen's day, indeed, is the only day when people are allowed to sell items on streets without having a trading license, and for Amsterdam's inhabitants this is a good chance to clear their cellars and lofts and sell everything: among all kinds of odds and ends, broken toys and second-hand clothes, you might find something interesting. The market opens at 6:00 and prices are usually very low and negotiable: locals consider this market a chance to socialize and have fun, also for children, rather than a real means to earn money.

All these features make the queen's day an event to take part in at least once in a lifetime, and this is the opinion of many people: every year from 500.000 to 800.000 people gather in Amsterdam on the 30th of April, and if you are not booking in advance it might be difficult for you to find a free room in the city's cheap hotels.

Date: 29 30 April 2009

Dove: Amsterdam, Netherlands