Amsterdam Queens Day - a street party with a difference!
Join the fun and freedom - festivities begin on Queen's Night [29 April] with pub, café and bar curfews extended way past their usual closing times. The city gets a chance to rest for only a few short hours before it's time to rise and shine again for the big day itself! |
Amsterdam is a great place to visit at any time of the year but on the 30th April it is wild with the whole city breaking into a spontaneous festival of street parties, clubbing events, music, flea markets and public entertainment. Queen's Day revellers pour into the streets, parks, canals and neighbourhoods of the city in orange waves of celebration.Please note, we will not be running trips to Queen's Day in 2010
This is an annual event, and GOBUS will be taking a coach of party revellers over to the festival in 2010 which will include;
aCCOMMODATION:City hostel accommodation in dorms so it is fine to travel alone!
THE HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL
‘Konninginnedag' is the Dutch national holiday celebrating the Queen's Birthday , and was originally the celebration of the birthday of Queen Wilhelmina (1880-1962) on August 31. However, after 1948, Queen's Day was moved to April 30 which was the birthday of the then Queen Juliana. When Queen Beatrix (whose birthday is in January) succeeded Juliana in 1980, she decided to keep the holiday on April 30th as a tribute to her mother. In addition, the weather in April is much nicer than in January.
As Queen Beatrix of the House of Orange-Nassau, her Majesty's royal lineage dates back to Willem van Oranje (William of Orange). Hence, orange is the colour of choice. It is said that the colour orange represents happiness, zest, success, and creativity - if that is the case, Amsterdam 's true colours shine on Queen's Day.
With Queen's Day being the only time of year when rummage sales are permitted, Amsterdammers surely take the idea of ‘Free Market Economy' to a new height. In a crazy display of Amsterdam 's pop history, items of nostalgic meaning are sprawled on street-sides for all to gaze upon. There is also a treasure trove of other finds: plants, crafts, artwork, jewellery, fashion and more, as many boutiques, shops and artisans also participate in this national ‘spring cleaning'.
ESSENTIAL INFOTwo weeks before departure, a festival fact file filled with tips, tricks and info, will be available for you to download online, be sure to know before you go!
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