Koninginnedag

Each year on 'Queen's Day,' Amsterdam and the rest of the country throw a party to celebrate the birthday (30 April) of the late Queen of the Netherlands, Juliana. In theory, anyway. The national celebration is essentially just a good excuse to have one big party, and folks take to the canals and streets to sell goods, hang out at cafés, play carnival games, watch parades, and just make merry. It can be quite a rambunctious affair. Bands perform throughout the day at various bars and on outdoor stages, sound systems are set up and there are loud parties on every street corner. Many celebrants wander about dressed in various shades of orange, a color that pays tribute to the Dutch royal lineage, the House of Orange.