Celebrating King's Day in the Amsterdam Area
28 April 2025
Image from Koen Smilde Photography
Tips for King's Day
Updated 28 April 2025 at 10:36
Hundreds of thousands of people flock to Amsterdam each year to join the locals in celebrating the King’s birthday. But King's Day can feel more than a little overwhelming between the array of ticketed parties on offer, as well as spontaneous parties on virtually every street corner, canals teeming with boats, and parks filled with market stalls. Here are our tips for navigating the festivities and getting the most out of your King’s Day. The next King's Day will be on Monday, 27 April, 2026.
King’s Day in Amsterdam: a citywide celebration
Image from Koen Smilde Photography
Whilst Koningsdag is a public holiday, it is certainly not a day of rest. After a burst of festivities and parties on King’s Night, the carnival atmosphere continues throughout the city on King’s Day itself (26 April 2025). DJs play parties on dedicated public squares, and live music spills onto streets from café patios.
Amsterdam’s biggest King’s Day festivals
Image from Kingsland
- Loveland van Oranje: Set in Meerpark (Radioweg 64), Loveland returns with another electrifying edition. With a line-up stacked with musical royalty, it’s all about good vibes and even better tunes.
- Kingsland Festival: This year’s edition takes over the iconic Olympic Stadium on April 26. As the largest King’s Day festival (and the biggest one-day music festival in the Netherlands), Kingsland is setting the stage for yet another unforgettable celebration.
Party on the water
Image from Koen Smilde
Looking for something different? Hop aboard the Supperclub Cruise for an unforgettable King's Day party on the water. With pumping music and stunning canal views, it’s a one-of-a-kind floating celebration.
Lowkey (and free!) parties
Prefer something a bit more relaxed (and free)? Amsterdam’s got you covered with plenty of lowkey celebrations scattered across the city.
- Pllek King’s Day: With its beachy vibes along the IJ River, Pllek is a laid-back spot to soak in the music and atmosphere.
- King’s Day at the Homomonument: The Homomonument becomes the heart of Amsterdam’s queerest King’s Day festival, filling the streets with colour, beats, and pure joy as DJs spin all day.
- King Loesoe at Café Thijssen: At Café Thijssen, enjoy a cosy street party with sing-alongs and overflowing pitchers. Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, it’s set to be an extra lively bash with all the orange flair.
Ready to join the fun? Here’s our full agenda for all the King's Day and Night parties happening across Amsterdam.
Stroll through the vrijmarkt
Image from Koen Smilde
King’s Day isn’t just an excuse to have a boogie. Ask any local, and they’ll tell you about their childhood memories of the vrijmarkt (free market), the biggest flea market of the year, which takes place each year on King's Day. One of the holiday’s most enduring traditions, the vrijmarkt is a sight to behold, as the streets and parks of Amsterdam transform into a market. There’s a community feel in the air, and while the fare isn’t ‘free’, it’s open to anyone and everyone. Some great places to check out the market are Vondelpark, Sarphatipark, and NDSM Wharf, which are great for families as these are designated particularly child-friendly zones. It helps to turn up early since the pickings get slimmer as the day progresses.
Stay in one place
Image from Koen Smilde Photography
During King's Day, the streets are one big moving carnival, but overcrowding and congestion can be a problem. Avoid worming your way through those pressing crowds and enjoy King's Day in one place – like at one of the eight free events organised by the city. This year, these will be held at Amstelveld, Leidseplein, the Nieuwmarkt, Regulierdwarsstraat, Rembrandtplein, Spui, Westerstraat, and Marie Heinekenplein. Expect DJs, stages, bars, and lots of dancing. All in orange, of course!
Get cultural
Image from John Lewis Marshall
As the whole city will be fit to bursting with Amsterdammers and people from all over the world, you might want to slip away for a little while and enjoy some of the city’s cultural attractions. While most of Amsterdam's major museums and attractions are closed on King's Day, several cultural hotspots, including the Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, and the Rijksmuseum, traditionally stay open. Be sure to check specific opening hours to avoid disappointment.
Anticipate the weather
Image from KENAWY
April is a notoriously rainy month, and though the weather might hold out on King’s Day (and perhaps even allow for a ray of sunshine here and there if the stars align), the chance of a downpour is high. Trudging around the city in the rain is no fun if you aren’t prepared, so check the weather forecast before you head out. Raincoats and ponchos are a must – but leave those umbrellas at home since you won’t have the space to hold them open in the busy streets.
Seek out some green
Image from Pauline Arkesteijn
As the biggest street party of the year, this national holiday isn’t for the faint-hearted. While the world flocks to Amsterdam on King's Day, some locals seek peace and quiet on the outskirts of the city. If you're in danger of orange overload, join them in the gardens and parks further from the centre, such as Park Frankendael and the Amsterdamse Bos. Really want to get your zen on this King's Day? Venture beyond the city limits to the greater Amsterdam Area and explore all the region has to offer.
Party along from home
Can't make it to Amsterdam? There's always a way to show your Dutch pride on King's Day. Wherever you are in the world, bring the party to you with this do-it-yourself King's Day party kit. Complete with bitterballen recipes, decoration ideas, sing-a-longs, games, and cocktail suggestions, let the national festivities take place in the comfort of your own home for a royally good time.
