Koningsdag or Kings Day: Guide to the Amsterdam Annual Street Party

A guide on what to do for Kings Day

Every April 27th, since the birth of the king, the city turns orange, and thousands flock to the streets and canals to celebrate the favored Dutch Celebration. 

King's Day is a tradition that originated in 1885 as a celebration of the country's monarchy, and the Dutch love it. The center rings turn into massive street parties. Boats parade through the canals throwing orange chalk in the air and at passersby. The city's alcohol consumption skyrockets and dispensaries open their doors to throngs of party-goers. 

The best place to be is amongst the towering buildings lining the Palace Dam Square, but I highly recommend walking around and paying a visit to other locations around the city, like Rembrandtplein, Vondelpark, and Leidseplein. 

If you get hungry during the revelry, I recommend any of the street carts selling poffertjes or pretzels! Many small stalls line the crowded streets during this day, so it is easy enough to get snacks.

Bars may charge a cover fee but often have DJs and bands performing. We opted to stay cheap and stick to the streets, but many squares were turned into concert venues. There are also several major festivals, like the Kingsland Festival, but tickets need to be purchased beforehand unless you want to try for some last-minute tickets that others are selling. 

Go all out with the orange!  

When a Dutch student told me about the festivities of Koningsdag, I knew that I wanted to go all out. Unfortunately, at that point, I was too late to rent a boat for the canals, but I still had time to stock up on the orange. Plenty of shops start to sell orange items a few weeks before Kings Day. I managed to snag an orange shirt from one of the many thrift shops around the inner rings and found an orange cowboy hat to match at a grocery store. If you look, there will be some shops selling something orange, or better yet, bring your own orange from home. 

The best recommendation I can offer is to wear good walking shoes and make sure to follow the music and the crowd! You will stumble across countless street concerts and parties, and parades. If you are dedicated to the boat party idea, then rent well before April 27th and make sure you reserve that boat. We tried (and failed) to rent one last minute and, as you see, spent the day walking.