April 27 – Koningsdag

Koningsdag is Today!

HOW TO CELEBRATE KONINGSDAG STEP-BY-STEP

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•  How to celebrate Koningsdag at home.
•  Dress in lively orange colors today.
•  Make Insanely Good Dutch food.
•  Decorate in bright orange.
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FEATURED ITEM ON KONINGSDAG

Get ready to paint the town orange! 🧡 Koningsdag, the Dutch celebration of King Willem-Alexander’s birthday, is a vibrant spectacle of street markets, boat parades, and festive traditions. Dive into the lively “vrijmarkt” (free market), where everyone becomes a trader for a day, and witness the cityscape transform with a sea of orange. From royal walkabouts to live music, dance parties, and cultural exhibitions, Koningsdag is a joyous expression of Dutch pride and community spirit. Join the nationwide revelry, don your best orange attire, and immerse yourself in the festive energy of this unique and colorful celebration. 🇳🇱👑

HISTORY OF KONINGSDAG

Koningsdag, or King’s Day, is a national holiday in the Netherlands celebrating the birthday of the reigning monarch. The history of Koningsdag dates back to 1885, when the country’s first king, King Willem-Alexander’s great-great grandfather, King Willem III, celebrated his birthday on August 31st. After Queen Wilhelmina ascended to the throne in 1890, her birthday on August 31st became a national holiday known as Prinsessedag, or Princess’s Day. In 1949, the holiday was permanently moved to Queen Juliana’s birthday on April 30th, and the name was changed to Koninginnedag, or Queen’s Day.

When Queen Beatrix ascended to the throne in 1980, the holiday moved to her birthday on January 31st, but was still celebrated on April 30th as a way to honor the memory of her mother. Finally, in 2014, King Willem-Alexander became the first Dutch king to ascend to the throne in over 100 years, and the holiday was changed to Koningsdag to reflect the new king’s birthday on April 27th. Today, Koningsdag is celebrated across the Netherlands with parades, parties, and other festivities, making it one of the most exciting days of the year for Dutch citizens and visitors alike.

100 THINGS TO DO ON KONINGSDAG

1. Wear Orange: Dress up in orange, the national color of the Netherlands, to join in on the festive spirit of Koningsdag.
2. Attend a Vrijmarkt: Participate in the tradition of open-air flea markets by selling or buying second-hand goods.
3. Decorate Your Bicycle: Adorn your bike with orange streamers and flags for a celebratory ride through the streets.
4. Play Traditional Dutch Games: Organize or join in games like koekhappen (cake eating) and spijkerpoepen (nail pooping) for a fun-filled day.
5. Sing the Dutch National Anthem: Learn and sing “Het Wilhelmus” during the official Koningsdag celebrations.
6. Enjoy a Canal Boat Parade: Watch or participate in the festive boat parades on the canals, a lively and iconic part of Koningsdag.
7. Bake Orange Tompouce: Prepare the classic Dutch pastry with orange icing, traditionally eaten on Koningsdag.
8. Host an Orange Party: Invite friends over for a gathering where everything, from drinks to decorations, is orange-themed.
9. Visit a Koningsdag Concert: Attend one of the many open-air concerts held in parks and squares around the Netherlands.
10. Organize a Kids’ Parade: Arrange a local parade where children dress in orange and march through the neighborhood.
11. Join a City Festival: Participate in the various city festivals with music, food stalls, and performances.
12. Create Orange-Themed Crafts: Make orange crowns, flags, or garlands to decorate your home in honor of the day.
13. Watch the Royal Family: Tune in to live broadcasts of the Dutch royal family as they visit different towns for Koningsdag.
14. Bike Tour Through the City: Join a group bike ride with friends and family through the city’s decorated streets.
15. Fly the Dutch Flag: Raise the national flag outside your home as a symbol of pride and celebration.
16. Join an Orange Flash Mob: Coordinate a flash mob with an orange theme to surprise and entertain passersby.
17. Have an Orange-Themed Picnic: Pack a picnic with orange foods like carrots, oranges, and cheddar cheese, and enjoy it at a park.
18. Set Up an Outdoor Dance Party: Host or join a street dance party with popular Dutch and international music.
19. Volunteer for Charity: Spend part of the day helping a local charity or organizing a fundraiser at the vrijmarkt.
20. Host a Koningsdag Themed Photo Booth: Set up a photo booth with orange props and take fun pictures with friends.
21. Create Orange Face Paint Designs: Get creative with face paint by drawing Dutch flags or other fun orange designs.
22. Make Orange Cocktails: Mix up some festive drinks like orange spritzers or non-alcoholic orange mocktails.
23. Watch a Fireworks Display: Enjoy the evening fireworks that mark the end of Koningsdag celebrations.
24. Attend a Street Art Event: Explore local street art created in celebration of Koningsdag and contribute your own if allowed.
25. Visit a Local Museum or Historical Site: Spend part of the day learning about Dutch history and culture by visiting a museum or a landmark.
26. Sjoelen Tournament: Set up a sjoelen board and host a friendly competition of this traditional Dutch shuffleboard game.
27. Koekhappen Race: Organize a race where participants try to bite suspended pieces of cake without using their hands.
28. Spijkerpoepen Challenge: Compete in this hilarious game where players try to drop a nail into a bottle while it’s tied to their waist.
29. Egg and Spoon Race: Add a twist to this classic game by having players balance their eggs on spoons while wearing orange clothing.
30. Orange Balloon Volleyball: Play a fun version of volleyball with orange balloons, trying to keep them from touching the ground.
31. Dutch Trivia Quiz: Organize a quiz with questions about Dutch history, culture, and Koningsdag traditions.
32. Orange Sack Race: Hold a sack race where participants wear orange sacks or costumes as they hop towards the finish line.
33. King’s Crown Ring Toss: Create a ring toss game where players aim to land rings on poles topped with crowns.
34. Bicycle Obstacle Course: Set up an orange-themed obstacle course for bicycles, challenging participants to navigate through it.
35. Pin the Crown on the King: A royal twist on the classic “Pin the Tail on the Donkey,” using a picture of the king.
36. Giant Jenga Tournament: Set up a giant Jenga game with orange-painted blocks for a festive challenge.
37. King’s Day Pictionary: Play a version of Pictionary where all the prompts relate to Dutch culture or Koningsdag.
38. Orange Scavenger Hunt: Organize a scavenger hunt where all the items to find are orange, such as balloons, fruit, or decorations.
39. Dutch Bingo: Create a bingo game with a Koningsdag twist, featuring Dutch symbols like clogs, tulips, and windmills.
40. Water Balloon Toss: Have a water balloon toss where teams compete to keep their balloons intact the longest.
41. Musical Chairs with Dutch Music: Play a round of musical chairs while listening to traditional Dutch folk songs or Koningsdag playlists.
42. Koningsdag Costume Contest: Hold a costume contest where participants dress in orange or as historical Dutch figures.
43. Orange Potato Sack Toss: A Koningsdag twist on bean bag toss, using orange sacks or bags filled with small prizes.
44. Tug-of-War: Organize a festive tug-of-war competition where teams wear orange sashes or headbands.
45. Mini-Golf with a Dutch Theme: Set up a mini-golf course with obstacles inspired by Dutch landmarks and traditions.
46. Koningsdag Charades: Play charades where all the words or phrases are related to Dutch culture or royal themes.
47. Orange Balloon Pop: Players race to pop as many orange balloons as possible using only their feet.
48. Dutch Dominoes: Set up a giant domino effect using orange-painted dominoes, creating intricate patterns and designs.
49. Orange Relay Race: Teams compete in a relay race while wearing orange accessories and carrying an orange baton.
50. Koningsdag Capture the Flag: Play a game of capture the flag using an orange flag to fit the Koningsdag theme.
51. Orange Paper Crowns: Create festive paper crowns by cutting orange paper and decorating them with stickers, glitter, and faux gems.
52. Dutch Flag Bunting: Make bunting using fabric or colored paper in the red, white, and blue of the Dutch flag, perfect for hanging up as Koningsdag decorations.
53. Wooden Shoe Painting: Paint miniature wooden clogs with traditional Dutch designs or Koningsdag colors to celebrate the occasion.
54. Orange Flower Garland: Craft a garland out of orange paper flowers to hang around your home or wear during the celebrations.
55. Dutch Tile Coasters: Create coasters by painting ceramic tiles with blue and white designs inspired by traditional Delftware.
56. Koningsdag T-Shirts: Use fabric paint to create your own orange Koningsdag-themed T-shirts, with slogans, crowns, or Dutch icons.
57. King’s Day Beaded Bracelets: String orange, white, and blue beads onto a bracelet as a fun accessory to wear for the day.
58. Orange Felt Crowns: Sew simple crowns out of orange felt and embellish them with sequins, ribbons, or fabric paint.
59. Windmill Paper Craft: Make a 3D paper windmill by cutting and folding paper into the iconic shape, decorated with Dutch patterns or colors.
60. Koningsdag Wreath: Craft a wreath using orange flowers, ribbons, and small Dutch symbols to hang on your door in celebration.
61. Dutch-Themed Picture Frame: Decorate a plain picture frame with Dutch symbols like tulips, windmills, and clogs using paint or decoupage techniques.
62. Tulip Paper Lanterns: Craft paper lanterns in the shape of tulips, adding an orange glow to your Koningsdag festivities.
63. Orange Ribbon Hair Clips: Make hair accessories by attaching orange ribbons to hair clips or headbands, perfect for the holiday.
64. Koningsdag Buttons: Use a button-making kit to design your own orange and Dutch-themed buttons to wear or give away.
65. Dutch-Themed Collage Art: Create a collage using magazines or printouts of famous Dutch landmarks, symbols, and colors.
66. Orange Candle Holders: Paint or decorate glass jars with orange designs and use them as candle holders for a Koningsdag evening glow.
67. Royal Scepter Craft: Make a scepter out of cardboard and decorate it with gold and orange accents, perfect for a royal Koningsdag look.
68. Paper Tulip Bouquets: Cut and fold paper into tulip shapes and arrange them into beautiful bouquets for decoration.
69. Dutch Crown Garland: Create a garland of small paper crowns in orange and gold to hang across walls or doorways for Koningsdag.
70. Dutch-Themed Scrapbook Pages: Design scrapbook pages with photos and mementos from past Koningsdag celebrations, adding stickers, stamps, and Dutch flags.
71. Orange Pom-Pom Accessories: Make orange pom-poms from yarn and attach them to keychains, hats, or bags as fun accessories for the day.
72. Dutch Ceramic Ornaments: Paint ceramic ornaments with traditional Dutch blue and white patterns or add orange accents for a Koningsdag theme.
73. Koningsdag Pinwheels: Craft orange and blue pinwheels from paper and sticks to create spinning decorations for the day.
74. Royal Sashes: Sew or glue together simple royal sashes using orange fabric and decorate them with glitter or badges for a regal look.
75. DIY Crown Cookies in Jars: Layer dry ingredients for making crown-shaped cookies in a jar, and decorate the jar with an orange ribbon to give as a Koningsdag gift.
76. Bitterballen: These crispy, fried Dutch meatballs make a perfect savory snack for Koningsdag celebrations.
77. Stroopwafels: Make your own homemade stroopwafels, Dutch caramel-filled waffle cookies, for a sweet treat.
78. Poffertjes: Prepare these mini Dutch pancakes and top them with powdered sugar and butter.
79. Appeltaart: A traditional Dutch apple pie, made with cinnamon and raisins, served warm with whipped cream.
80. Orange Tompouce: A classic Dutch pastry filled with cream and topped with orange icing, especially for Koningsdag.
81. Haringhapje: Serve raw herring with onions and pickles, a beloved Dutch delicacy.
82. Pea Soup (Erwtensoep): A hearty Dutch split pea soup, perfect for a savory Koningsdag meal.
83. Speculaas Cookies: Bake these spiced Dutch cookies in fun shapes to enjoy with tea or coffee.
84. Kaassoufflé: A fried Dutch cheese snack, crispy on the outside and melty on the inside.
85. Dutch Pancake (Pannenkoeken): Make large, thin Dutch pancakes and serve them with syrup, powdered sugar, or fruit.
86. Dutch Cheese Platter: Assemble a platter of Dutch cheeses like Gouda, Edam, and Leyden with bread and crackers.
87. Orange Cupcakes: Decorate vanilla cupcakes with orange-colored frosting for a festive Koningsdag dessert.
88. Frikandel: A Dutch minced meat sausage, often served with curry ketchup, mayo, and onions.
89. Kapsalon: A loaded dish of fries, shawarma meat, melted cheese, and salad, popular in the Netherlands.
90. Bossche Bol: Chocolate-coated cream puffs from the city of Den Bosch, a decadent Dutch treat.
91. Hutspot: A traditional Dutch dish made with mashed potatoes, carrots, and onions, perfect for a comforting meal.
92. Rookworst: A smoked sausage, typically served with mashed potatoes or split pea soup.
93. Orange Smoothies: Blend oranges, yogurt, and honey for a refreshing orange smoothie in honor of Koningsdag.
94. Drop Candy: Make homemade Dutch licorice in fun shapes to enjoy during the celebrations.
95. Zuurkool Stamppot: A traditional Dutch mashed potato dish with sauerkraut and smoked sausage.
96. Vanilla Vla: A creamy Dutch dessert similar to custard, served in bowls or glasses.
97. Boterkoek: A rich Dutch butter cake, simple yet indulgent, perfect for sharing.
98. Dutch Almond Bars (Boterkoekjes): Almond-flavored shortbread bars, buttery and sweet.
99. Orange Gelato: Make a refreshing orange-flavored gelato to keep cool while celebrating.
100. Gevulde Koeken: Bake these Dutch almond-filled cookies for a tasty and nutty treat.

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