Queen's Day KONINGINNEDAG
the biggest holiday in the Netherlands
On April 30, the Dutch celebrate Koninginnedag (Queen's Day), a national holiday to commemorate the birthday of Queen Juliana (1909-2004). It is by far the most widely celebrated holiday in the Netherlands. Amsterdam is packed to the gills on April 30, welcoming up to two million party-going visitors.
Queen's Day festivities begin on Queen's Night, 29 April. Queen's Night is the start of the celebrations, with many cafés, pubs, night clubs and bars hosting special evenings and parties  to get the party going. On Sunday night, 29 April, cafés are allowed to stay open until 4am.
History of Queen's Day
The Dutch have been observing Queen's Day on April 30 since 1949, when the new Queen Juliana ascended the throne. Before then, the holiday fell on August 31, the birthday of Juliana's mother, former Queen Wilhelmina.
When the current Queen Beatrix succeeded Juliana in 1980, she chose to keep Queen's Day on April 30, as Beatrix's own birthday is January 31, a date when Dutch weather isn't conducive to the many outdoor activities associated with the holiday.
 
Every year Queen Beatrix visits one or two Dutch towns to greet her country's people and visitors, who receive her with fitting celebrations. What began as a commemoration of the Dutch Royal Family has evolved into a nationwide day of creative, excited revelry.
Activities
The color orange is a common sight on Queen's Day, as it represents the House of Orange , which is the name of the current Dutch dynasty. The colour orange dominates the street sight with orange flags and banners, clothing, orange colored foods and drinks, and even ordinary consumer goods.
The holiday is also a "free market" day where people set up stalls at the roadside to sell household goods they no longer need. Typically, many children sell their toys: some entrepreneurs also sell food and beverages. By the end of the day, much of the unsold is left on the streets.
Queen's Night
In recent years, Queen's Day has become more and more of an open air party, particularly in Amsterdam, which attracts anywhere from 500,000 to two million visitors. Since Queen's Day is a national holiday and thus a day off, many people also go out and party on the evening before Queen's Day. This evening is called Queen's Night (Koninginnenacht).
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