April passed unnoticed by while we were all busy with urgent matters and tasks. However, one of the biggest birthdays in the Netherlands is yet to come. King's Day is one of the most celebrated occasions for Dutch people, you can enjoy some beers, walk around in the 'vrijmarkt' and party on boats in the canals as much as you can. This event is known in whole Europe, therefore today we decided to tell some interesting facts about King's Day, which will surprise you and give you some new insights about the Netherlands
Amsterdam population doubles in size on this day
When we say that this celebration is one of the most popular in the country, we are not joking. The only day that beats King's Day is Christmas. Between 600,000 and 1 million people arrive in the city around the time of event to observe this colorful madness, with 250,000 people coming by train on the day itself. It is counted that approximately 100 million euros per year are spent on orange items in the Netherlands. And the popularity of the day is rising year by year. So if you are interested in attending such a big cultural celebration, be sure to book everything far in advance, because it is definitely worth it. And wear something orange to fit in ;)
Celebrated not only in the Netherlands
King's Day is an event enjoyed, not only in The Netherlands but in some other places as well, which is tightly connected with the history of the country. Couple of centuries ago some of the Caribbean islands belonged to the Royal Empire of The Netherlands. That is why King's Day is also a huge party in Curaçao, Saint Martain and Aruba. And of course, Dutch embassies are not an exception. Most of the offices celebrate this day of unity with typical delicacies such as 'oranjebitter' and herring.
It used to be called Queen's Day for a long time before
Maybe it will come as a surprise but King's Day was not a thing before 2013 and had quite different name for centuries before that. The tradition itself began as Princess' Day in 1885, to celebrate the birthday of then Princess Wilhelmina on the 31st of August. Since then it has gone through many transformations, becoming Queen's Day when she took the throne in 1890 later on following by multiple years of rule by great monarchs such as Beatrix. It makes King Willem-Alexander is the first male monarch in The Netherlands since 123 years! It gives him a responsible but exciting role.
You might meet King Willem on the streets of your city
King Willem-Alexander is following in the footsteps of his mother, Queen Beatrix, and visits a different Dutch city every year to stay close to the citizens and share some exciting memories. This tradition represents the closeness of monarchs towards Dutch people and the openness of the elite. They usually play silly games, enjoying old Dutch traditions with clogs, herring and cakes, talk with the locals about daily life and make a round of pictures with as many people as possible. Every year is a different region, however this is kept a secret until the day of celebration. Last year the the King was in Maastricht far away in the province of Limburg.
Seeing biggest Dutch event with your own eyes is a must for everyone in Europe, since at the end of the day it holds deep cultural significance and the spirit of unity. King's Day is a time for communities to come together, express national pride, and celebrate their country's rich history and heritage. Now you know a little bit more about this celebration, time to make holidays plans for the next year, isn't it?
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