Queens Day The Hague

Queens Day (in Dutch: Koninginnedag) is a massive celebration in honour of the late Queen Juliana’s birthday. Nowadays Beatrix is wearing the crown but April 30 remains the party date for the Queens birthday. It's a unique event each year and during the night before – so called Queens Night.

 

 

Join in on the festivities with historical tram tours, boat rides, flea markets, a royal bus tour and much more. On Queens Day there will also be a vrijmarkt ('free market'), a market for anyone and everyone to sell their attic crap, old clothes and whatever you can think of in the streets. But 'free markets' are not as widespread in The Hague as they are, for instance, in Amsterdam.

 

Since Queens Day is a national holiday and thus a day off, many people go out and party on the evening before Queens Day. The largest celebration of Queens Night with lots of free concerts takes place in The Hague.

 

The colour orange is a common sight on Queens Day, as it represents the House of Orange, the name of the current Dutch dynasty. In the spirit of the day, you'll find most people wearing something orange, while others are decked head to foot in orange. There are orange banners and flags, orange coloured foods and drinks. Even the water in some fountains is dyed orange.