Dutch culture
Spring
27 April - King's Day
Why do Dutch people celebrate King's Day?
The story begins with Wilhelmina, Juliana, and Beatrix's celebration of Princess's Day or Koninginnedag. But then, Beatrix's son, Willem-Alexander, took the throne (the first king since the observance of the national holiday). As a result, the festival was renamed Koningsdag beginning in 2014, and the celebration was relocated three days earlier to April 27, the King's birthday.
How do Dutch people celebrate King's Day?
Everyone is invited to the King's birthday celebration! The city is flooded in orange as Amsterdamers celebrate the most incredible street party of the year in the streets, canals, parks, and everywhere. On King's Day, people can sell goods on the street without a permit. Flea ('free') markets are organized in parks and on the streets, with many people selling their old items, music, or other forms of entertainment. The flea markets in Utrecht even begin the night before King's Day.
Where to celebrate King's Day?
Most towns and cities (Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, and Utrecht) usually have fairground rides and music events planned, with many beginning on King's Day eve, or King's Night (Koningsnacht), on April 26. In addition, there are a variety of DJ events and parties hosted around the Netherlands. Top Dutch and international DJs will perform at Kingsland Festival Amsterdam and Kingsland Festival Den Bosch.
It was an amazing experience to celebrate my first King’s Day in the Netherlands!
Petra - MOT student
King’s Day Experience
Read the King’s Day experiences from the students here:
Yovanka - My first King’s Day experience was really great! I was able to see how Dutch people celebrate their King’s birthday. On 27 April 2022, my friend and I went to Delft centrum to visit the Free market (Vrije Markt). Many people were selling their old/unused stuff in front of their homes. The interesting fact that I heard is that people started to bargain over the price, and it is common, especially when children are trading, for the buyer to raise the price to demonstrate the playful nature of this festive business. At that time, I had just joined a Dutch class, so I bought several Dutch kid’s books. The books were nice and helpful for me in starting to learn Dutch :). Other than that, I also enjoyed and watched the festival and concert until late at night. Overall, once you are in the Netherlands, you need to experience how exciting the April festive is.
Aditi - The first King’s Day is one of my most cherished memories of Delft! It was like a huge party being celebrated by everyone. The streets were full of people and all hues of orange. I remember attending the carnival in the city center, and everyone dancing and singing, “Links, links, links!! Rechts, rechts, rechts!” I loved all the food stalls, especially the tasty fries. I had also painted the Dutch flag on my face and worn orange clothes, to feel a part of the community and join in the celebrations. It was a really fun and eventful day!
Petra - It was an amazing experience to celebrate my first King’s Day in the Netherlands! My friends and I wore orange clothes and accessories to vibe the day. On the morning of 27 April 2023, we went to Rotterdam to see the king and his family. Many people also wore orange accessories and danced happily to celebrate the day. In the afternoon, we went to Delft to enjoy the live music from the Centrum stage. There were many tasty stalls and a kermis too (Kermis is a Dutch fair with many rides and games). At the end of the day, orange confetti popped in the air. It was a happy day with lots of laughs, smiles and dancing for a whole day!
Spring in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, spring is one of the seasons people are waiting for! The tulips in the Netherlands will bloom beautifully in the fields from the end of March until mid-May. The tulips will reach their full bloom during that range of time. This year, 2024, the tulips have fully bloom since early April.
There are lots of places in the Netherlands to see the tulips:
Keukenhof
Keukenhof is one of the largest flower gardens in the world, and it opens around the twentieth of March until mid-May. Keukenhof is home to more than 7 million flowers, from tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, lilies, crocuses, orchids, and many more.Cycling along the Keukenhof Cycle Routes
Search and enjoy flower fields along the route by cycling. Four Keukenhof cycling routes start at 5 kilometres and run up to 25 kilometres. Search “Keukenhof cycling routes” to get information regarding the route’s options. For bike rental, you can check the Lemonbike website. There are a few pickup locations near the cycling routes, including Hillegom, Lisse, and Noordwijk.Tulip Fields
There are several tulip fields you can visit that serve hundreds of thousands of tulips with hundreds of different varieties in the enormous fields, such as:• The Tulip Barn
• Tulip Experience Amsterdam
• De Tulperij
• Tulip Tours Holland (Guided Tour)
• and many more!
Flower Parade
The Bollenstreek Flower Parade will be held on the second or third Saturday in April. In 2025, the parade is celebrated on 12th of April. On Saturday, lots of floats made from flowers will cross the routes from Noordwijk to Haarlem. From Wednesday 17th April to Sunday 21st April 2025, you can admire the floats in the Haarlem city centre. (Source: Bollenstreek website)For detailed information regarding the tulip season and activities in the Netherlands, visit the Bollenstreek website at bollenstreek.nl.
Winter
HOLIDAYS AWAY FROM HOME
For an international student, the prospect of spending the holidays away from home, and in a foreign country can be daunting, especially if it’s your first time. But if you are able to open your heart and mind to new adventures, the Netherlands, can be a winter wonderland – without the snow (much needed disclaimer ?). Below I will share some must tries to make your first winter in the Netherlands Memorable.
5 December - Sinterklaas day
Much like Santa Claus, Sinterklaas also known as Saint Nicholas is dear to both children and adults alike in the Netherlands. He looks a lot like the traditional Santa Claus with his red mitre and white long beard. There is a whole spectacle surrounding his arrival from Mid- November. His arrival is broadcasted on national television. He makes his grand entrance on a steamboat filled with gifts, assisted by helpers all called “Piet”. Usually he visits all the municipalities, so local events are held to celebrate. Sinterklaas day is December 5th, so you and your new friends get to exchange gifts twice in the Year!
Sweets, Sweets, and more Sweets …
Christmas season world over is the time to cheat on your diet… and indulge in all things sweet and savoury. The top two must try desserts are the Pepernoten and Oliebollen. Pepernoten is a Dutch cookie-like confectionary associated with Sinterklaas holiday. They come in several different shapes, but my personal favourite are those covered in chocolate. The Oliebollen are a traditional Dutch donut traditionally eaten on New Year’s Eve. During winter, adorable bright lit stalls are set up around street corners. The scent of these treats floating through the crisp winter air adds to the warmth of the season. Last but not least, don’t forget to pick up a Lindt advent chocolate calendar, because well chocolate makes everything better.
Winter activities
The TU Delft website student portal also has a number of options for winter activities to keep the students social and active during the holiday season and all throughout winter. With the corona restrictions of only two people meeting outdoors, TU Delft organized some easily accessible activities like the Walk and Talk, Meet new friends and even outdoor winter sports to allow students to meet and connect in twos. Check out the website for more details.
Uni-Life app
There is also the Uni-life app which can be downloaded got IOS and Android where you can discover new student events, find communities on campus that much your interests and meet lifelong friends.