What is Queen's Day?
 

Recently I have heard from some travel post regarding celebrating Queen's Day. What does it celebrate and where is it celebrated?

Missy,<BR><BR>It is celebrated in places like Key West and San Francisco.<BR><BR>It's when all the queens strut their stuff in a parade. Numerous events and contests are held in the SF bath houses. The winner often gets to wear the losers clothing.<BR><BR>US

Uhhhh, I believe the post in question referred to Queen's Day in Amsterdam. It's a celebration of the birthday of the Queen, although I believe the birthdate is actually a holdover from the previous Queen. Lots of public celebration.<BR><BR>Uncle Sam, I don't know what you are talking about, but it sure sounds like you have done your research.

Queens Day in Amsterdam is utter chaos, wall to wall bodies and noise so loud it is practically unbearable. The next day the city is so littered with debris that it is sickening. Pickpockets are everywhere.

Sam, that was not up to your usual high standard. :-(<BR><BR>I happened to be in the Netherlands on Queen's Day, April 30th, on business. It's a national holiday that celebrates the Queen's Birthday (xx is right. It's a fixed date that doesn't represent the current Queen's birthday). It is celebrated all over the Netherlands but the big cities have the biggest celebrations and Amsterdam has the actual Queen. She strolled down the crowded streets. People cheered her and partied. The band "Queen" played a concert. Everyone wears orange clothing and people wear all strange assortment of crowns. My favorite was the inflatable orange crown. Another interesting aspect is that people have "garage sales" of a sort in the morning and everyone seems to swap "junk". The day was topped off in Eindhoven, where I was, with a huge fireworks display.

Just a side note: It's also celebrated in the Netherlands Antilles on the same day, but we call it "Queen's Birthday" rather than just "Queen's Day."<BR><BR>

Grasshopper,<BR><BR>You are correct, my apologies!<BR><BR>US

Queen's Day is the celebration of the Dutch Queen's birthday. Always on April 30th, except when April 30th is on a Sunday and Queen's Day is celebrated on April 29th. Queen Beatrix' actual birthday is January 31st, but she decided to keep Queen's Day on the birthday of her mother, former Queen Juliana, who is still alive and 93 years old now. (trying to break the English Queen Mum's record?) Reason to keep Queen's Day on April 30th: January is too cold for partying on the streets!<BR>The biggest celebrations are in Amsterdam (between 500,000 and 1 million people street-partying), but parties in The Hague and Utrecht are huge as well. This year, British pop group Queen (well, without Freddy Mercury of course) performed. <BR>Some people, like Glenna above, don't like Queen's Day, but if you are uninhibited and party-loving, you'll love it. It used to be a "locals-only" party, but more and more tourists/foreigners join in these days. <BR>Grasshopper: no, the Queen is not always in Amsterdam on Queen's Day, but celebrates "her" birthday in a different province every year. This year, she was in Hoogeveen and Meppel. (Drenthe province)

Sjoerd scores, as usual, 100%.<BR>If you are planning to be in the Netherlands at the end of April and you do NOT like mass partying, huge crowds, and wild behaviour, stay away from Amsterdam on April 30. Go to a smaller town which will have its own smaller and much less fanatic celebrations. There is always something to do and lots of fun (contests, music, parades, fairs, general merriment, and...junk sales. If you do end up in A'dam and it's too much for you, head for the Vondelpark: more junk sales, impromptu concerts, under huge trees and without the wall-to-wall crowds.