The Netherlands is known everywhere as a land of windmills, zig-zag canals, fields of tulips, and cities bursting with rich culture and charm. Apart from being famous for its rich traditional history, Netherlands, one of the best European countries visited by Indians, is also famous for the many cultural festivals and events which are held throughout the year in different cities and towns accommodated by it. From Springtime festivals that celebrate the colorful blooms of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and bluebells, to winter festivals that include Christmas and celebrations of Saint Nicholas, the Dutch people celebrate all the festivals in the Netherlands with great pomp and fervor. Besides, The Netherlands is the best place to go to experience classic music festivals in an entirely new and genre-busting fashion as part of Europe tour packages. If you want to experience the uniqueness of Dutch culture, just plan your trip around a festival in the Netherlands. Here are some of the events and festivals in the Netherlands that one must definitely not miss out on.
Amsterdam Dance Event
Held every year in the month of October, Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) is one of the leading electronic music platforms and the biggest club festival in the world. Celebrated in Amsterdam, one of the best cultural destinations in Europe, for five days, the capital turns into an electronic music hotbed, with concerts, parties, workshops and industry events being held all over the city. Popularly called ADE by the locals, this event forms the most amazing electronic music festival which is sure to make even the shy visitors sway to the electronic beats of the DJ. Many upcoming and already established DJs come together and use this platform to showcase their talent. Also, the event showcases DJ cook-offs, masterclasses, and the new ADE Playground, which features more than 20 pop-up events, special product lines, film screenings, and discounts in shops and bars that draws thousands of tourists every year from all over Europe as part of Amsterdam Tour Packages.
Amsterdam Gay Pride
Amsterdam is a gay-friendly city and is known for its world’s largest gay pride festival which is celebrated every year in August. It is one of the unique festivals in the Netherlands and the main highlight of the event is the Canal Parade, where several colorful and well-decorated boats cruise via canals in the city. The event kicks off with a gathering and opening speech at the Homomonument on Westermarkt, followed by a Pride in the Park concert at Vondelpark. With street discos, open-air theatre performances, a film festival, a sports program, and highly anticipated parties, the festival lures both locals as well as tourists as part of the Amsterdam Tour.
Bloemencorso Zundert Flower Festival
Bloemencorso Zundert Flower Festival is known to be the largest flower festival in the world that takes place annually in September in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. This spring festival is held in the beautiful town of Zundert. Flowers take the center stage and the wonderful exhibits of flowers are crafted by volunteers who are a group of people from a small builder community in the area. These people work hard for almost 3 months to get the exhibits ready which are then paraded through the streets of Zundert town. Different themes are set for every year and the decorations are made accordingly. Around 20 parade floats and unique vehicles are decorated with colorful flowers, including the country’s famous tulips and daffodils. This 42 km long procession from Noordwijk to Haarlem is accompanied by marching bands and street performers. After the completion of the parade, the flower floats are displayed in central Haarlem for viewing and photography.
Cannabis Cup
Cannabis Cup is one of the unique festivals celebrated in Amsterdam that promotes the personal cultivation and use of Marijuana. Founded in the year 1987 by an American activist, Steven Hager, this is a 5-day event that will take you on a journey through the world of weed. Since then, it became one of the popular events where stoners and hemp enthusiasts unite to experience and learn about their favorite past time. During this festival, one can try out the different variety of weed samples, attend several legislation seminars, and can relish the amazing food offered here. It is among the top 10 festivals in the Netherlands.
Amsterdam Light Festival
Amsterdam Light Festival is an annual event focused on the use of light in art, featuring famed artists, architects, and designers worldwide. The city center is lit up by dozens of innovative and high-quality light art installations by international and national artists. Over 50 days in December and the first weeks of January, the light art installations can be admired in the city center every day from 5 PM to 11 PM. Since 2012, the Amsterdam Light Festival has realized over 270 artworks, growing into one of Europe’s principal light art festivals. These most fantastic projections are best enjoyed during the night on a canal cruise, a guided walking tour, or a bike tour that lures thousands of tourists.
Step in the Arena Graffiti Festival
One of the largest graffiti festivals in Europe, this event held in Netherlands every year in the month of June. During this event, more than 200 graffiti artists come from every part of the world including Australia, Spain, UK, Italy, Denmark, France, Austria and Germany to showcase their talent in creating spectacular graffiti art pieces. It is a ten day long event that offers exciting opportunities for all art lovers where one can witness breakdance, hip-hop, BMX, skateboarding and other such activities being carried out by various locals throughout the city as part of Netherlands Tour.
Scheveningen International Fireworks Festival
Scheveningen is an amazing tranquil beach town located near Hague city. Home to Fireworks Festival, it is an annual event held in the month of August where teams and firework producers from several countries travel to Scheveningen to showcase their talent and ingenuity. It is a 4-day event where the night sky is filled with a beautiful display of fireworks of all types, and thousands of spectators gather to watch this vibrant fireworks. Every evening, there are two shows, and the winner of the firework competition is announced on the third night. One can get the best view of the fireworks in the illuminated night sky from one of the beachfront cafes.
King’s Day (Koningsdag)
King’s Day is one of the unique and largest festivals in the Netherlands. King’s Day is celebrated every year in April to commemorate the birth of King Willem-Alexander. This annual celebration shouldn’t be missed as the streets of cities and towns in the Netherlands look very vibrant and colorful making for a mind-blowing visual treat. The best celebrations can be witnessed in the capital city of Amsterdam, where the massive celebrations are accompanied by several flea markets, concerts, picnics, and much more. Special performances from musicians and theatrical folk are held for children and there are parades to entertain everyone during Amsterdam Trip. The dress code for this event is everything orange, from shirts, pants, and dresses, to wigs, hair ties, and face paint.
Rotterdam International Film Festival
Rotterdam International Film Festival is a major event in Netherlands as it offers an exciting experience for all the movie buffs. Held for 10 days, this event showcases some of the best short clips and movies which depict diversity and encourage the interaction between directors and viewers. During this festival, there will be many events and performances where visitors even get a chance to mingle and interact with the actors and filmmakers. This event also showcases both local and international films and the best among them will move ahead to compete in bigger competitions. Over recent decades, this Dutch film festival has built an international reputation for presenting quality independent films. If you are planning to visit Rotterdam during January and February, then don’t miss to be a part of this festival as part of Rotterdam Tour Packages.