PalenQ

Isn't Apr 30th Queen's Day in Holland when everyone wears orange (not jump suits) and descends on Amsterdam for one of Europe's hugest citywide festivals and parties

I was there a few years back and it was so fab.

Jazz Bands on boats in the canals

a citywide flea market

stages set up on Museumplein for younger revelers

and everyone carrying it seemed cases of Heineken around

Centraal Station is usually closed to trains and trams and buses stop running in the city centre

Wish i were there!

Travelnut

We're here. Just beginning to see some activity in the squares - large trucks for stages, 'tuning' up the amplifiers (bass loud enough to make the trams jump). Businesses hanging out their orange pennants and strands of balloons.

Unfortunately, it's quite chilly and rainy on and off, so don't know how that's going to feel tomorrow. This evening, though, the sun peeked out and Vondelpark was a lovely bright spring green and lots of chirpy birds everywhere. Vondelpark is where the kids and family activities will be staged. We're going to rotate around Leidseplein, Vondel and Museumplein, and the canals.

There is also the carnival at Dam Sq. I rode the ferris wheel so I could try to get some rooftop photos, but it didn't go as high as I thought. Still fun, anyway.

PalenQ

Travelnut

I'm jealous

I did not realize a few years ago the scope of Queen's Day in Amsterdam until the day before when i saw huge beer tanker trucks being positioned near the stages in Museumplein - then it hit me this was a big deal

and people staking out places on the pavement for their flea market tables

apparently anyone, first come first grab can stake out a place and then sell what they want

suec1

Well label me an old f... We went to Holland to see the tulips last year and departed Amsterdam on April 29th. It was interesting to talk to some of the merchants on the days leading up to Queens Day - there were quite a few that planned to be closed for the day - said the crowds were too much. I am at the stage of life where thousands of tulips were much more exciting to me than thousands of drunks. By the way, did anyone see Matt Lauer in Amsterdam today? wonderful shots of the canals and people in winter coats!!! hope tomorrow is a SUNNY day for the revelers!

PalenQ

I did not see thousands of drunks at Queens Day though i'm sure there were some

I saw families, folks of all ages, grannies out in the town - oompah bands on boats floating thru the canals - music for all types of interests

something for everyone and a well ordered crowd

it is not a drunken brawl - at least the one i saw

hetismij

It is cool (14 C) and showery. Same tomorrow. Not winter coat weather, just waterproof coat weather preferably with a silly orange hat or similar.
The concert at the Museumplein sounds good this year, especially with Anouk performing there.
It is a time for thousands of drunks/stoned people in Amsterdam, mostly visitors, mostly not even Dutch visitors.
Most shops are normally shut on Koninginnedag anyway, and the sheer numbers in Amsterdam does not promote good business for anyone not selling drinks/pot/flea market gear.
Much in the same in any town city village in holland except fot the drunks/stoned folks/foreigners.
I may go to the Vrijemarkt here tomorrow if I get up in time.

cmeyer54

We loved queen's day as tourists. It was amazing to see all of the boats, bicycles, etc all turned into moveable beer stands! It was hard to see how many people were very drunk - there was not enough room for anyone to fall down in any case... We did ask a few people about it near where we stayed (just adjacent to vondelpark) and were told that most of the local residents stay at home and have neighborhood celebrations; the massive crowds are from out of town. reminds me of many 4th of July celebrations in large cities from that perspective. It was great fun and as we were told "the dutch consider partying an art form!"

rfbk50

I was in Amsterdam a few years back with my husband. Luckily we found out about the Queens Day celebration and made sure we extended our stay. I was great. All the streets were shut down. (We could have not gotten to the airport if we had wanted to!) We had an apartment on the Princengracht canal and watched the boats go by all day long. We shopped at the yard sales along all of the houses. At one table I was looking at a mug that commemorated the 50 year anniversary of the end of WWII. The lady selling it looked at me and asked me if I was an American. When I said yes, she told me to please take the mug for free since the Americans did so much to win the war. It was a kind gesture and that mug is still on my shelf.

We watched Matt Lauer this morning and wished we were back in Amsterdam to celebrate again.

Travelnut

We saw one young fellow stumbling around on Queen's Night, but noticed no 'drunks' on Q's Day. LOTS of people, plenty of beer, all sorts of orange getups, and loved the canal boats 'parade' the best. Saw many partiers having a good time, and plenty of trash afterwards, but I commented later to hubby that I never noticed anyone 'falling down drunk' or meanly obnoxious.

The city did an excellent job cleaning up Vondelpark - by the next morning, it looked back to normal. The Leidseplein area, and toward Centraal, was still trashy - I hoped no one was arriving on May 1 morning for their first time to Amsterdam. Not a pretty sight.

New discovery: Turkish pizza- hmmm good.

PalenQ

I think folks who characterize Queen's Day as a bunch of drunks perhaps have never been there

My experience was the same as travelnut's - oh yeh lots of beer being guzzled in some quarters but no raving drunks, etc.

and most of the show is the huge flea market anyway

i saw families and folks of all ages enjoying (a few years ago) the whole thing

so IMO don't be deterred by reports of going to a drunken brawl - it's not a soccer match you know

cmeyer54

We saw ambulances taking people away from the area in front of the American Hotel on Queen's day. this was around 9pm. Even crossing the canal bridges meant dodging pushy, loud and quite drunk people. We didn't mind - the memories and photos are/were wonderful.