Events in Netherlands

The Dutch celebrate the (previous) Queen’s birthday, known as Queen’s Day. On this day they throw an internationally renowned street party, which goes through the night and until the evening of the next day.

Every year Amsterdam throws this amazing canal parade and is watched by up to 350,000 people as it passes down the city's main canals each year.

The yearly Amsterdam Canal Festival, the Grachtenfestival, offers classical music concerts along two of the city's main canals. Nine days of indoor and outdoor concerts that end with Prinsengracht concert, held on a floating stage in front of Hotel Pulitzer.

During this event, 35 of Amsterdam's major monuments open to the public free of charge, often with guided tours to discover otherwise unseen treasures.

Each year in the town of Utrecht the Netherlands Film Festival is held at the Winkel van Sinkel and other venues in the city center. This film festival is considered the most important in Netherlands and is highly anticipated for the whole year. Over 130 Dutch features, shorts and documentaries are screened during this event. At the end a Golden Calve is awarded in to each winner of 16 different categories. If you happen to be on vacation during this event you won’t want to miss it.

Car-Free Day was first held in 1998 and is organized by the City of Amsterdam to raise awareness of environmental issues. On this day the entire center of the city becomes a car-free zone for a day. Events, from pop concerts to skating, are held throughout the day and the city council organizes activities to raise awareness about pollution and saving energy.

Each year over 1750 participants and in the upwards of 60,000 spectators descend on the historic city of Breda for the Bredase Singelloop, a half marathon for serious runners and enthusiasts alike. Other then the main race there are also recreational runs, student runs and even kids’ races of many different distances. This is quite the event.

Each year on the 16th of November, Sinterklaas, Holland’s version on Santa Claus arrives on a steamer from his stay in Madrid. Following a welcome reception, he parades through the city along with festive floats, bands and hundreds of helpers. The parade ends at the Leidseplien where Sinterklaas addresses the children from the balcony of the Stadsschouburg.

The Valkenburg Christmas Market is unlike any other, the markets take place underneath the town’s ruined castle. Vendors set up their Christmas wares in cosy market stalls in the old marlstone quarry working that have honeycombed the earth since Roman times. The Fluweelengrot (velvet cave) is covered with murals, lighting and a troupe of actors that depict the inhabitants of the castle and caves in the olden days, transforming it into a Santa’s Grotto.

Each year the gorgeous Gothic Town Hall on Gouda Market Square is home to a very special evening. The entire square is illuminated by candlelight and the surrounding buildings are lit with fairy lights and Christmas trees, giving that festive feel. All day events are held all over the city. In the evening the Mayor of Gouda reads the story of the Nativity and then local choir combined with the townspeople gather around the main Christmas tree in the centre of the square to sing carols.