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Traditional Events and Festivals – The Netherlands

Raoul Knobbout

Trainee PCT Groep BV.

31 January 2014

                                                                                                                                   

 

 

26 April 2014 – Kings’ day (Dutch: koningsdag). The birthday of king Willem-Alexander is celebrated and everybody dresses in the Dutch national color orange. Parties are organized everywhere and especially Amsterdam has a large ‘free market’, where you can buy everything.

 

1 May, every year – May fires (Dutch: meivuren). According to ancient tradition, May is the fertility month. The start of this special month is celebrated by igniting large fires. Celebrations are especially large on the islands of Vlieland, Texel and Terschelling.

 

4 May, every year – Memorial day (Dutch: dodenherdenking). On this day, all deaths caused by armed conflicts since the Second World War are memorialized.

 

5 May, every year – Liberation day (Dutch: bevrijdingsdag). The day after memorial day is called Liberation day. On the day of the liberation of the Netherlands in 1945, the entire country celebrates its freedom. Traditionally, a large military parade is held in the city of Wageningen.

 

18 May 2014 – Grebbeline day (Dutch: Grebbeliniedag). The Grebbeline is an historical Dutch defense line. On this day, activities are organized in order to keep the memory of the defense line alive.

 

15 September 2014 – Lampegietersoptochten (Dutch, roughly translated as lantern makers’ walk).  Traditional festival held in the towns of Scherpenzeel, Veenendaal and Renswoude. Children make paper lantern and parade with them around town.

 

30 October – Halloween. In a tradition imported from the US, children dress up as ghosts or other creepy figures and ask for candy.

 

11 November – St. Martin’s day (Dutch: St. Maarten). St. Martin is the patron saint of Utrecht. On this day, kids make paper lanterns and walk around town in a procession.

 

Around 18 November – Arrival of Sinterklaas. St. Nicholas (Sinterklaas) arrives from Spain on his steamboat. All the children await him at the quay. The helpers of Sinterklaas are called Piets. When Sinterklaas has arrived, the Piets hand out candy and tangerines to all the kids who have been nice in the year before. According to tradition, kids who did not behave get a bag of salt or a bunch of twigs and are taken back to Spain by the Piets.

 

5 December, every year – St. Nicholas’ fest (Dutch: Sinterklaasavond).  On St. Nicholas’ birthday all kids get presents. Sinterklaas rides on a white horse over the roofs of the houses and drops the presents in the chimney. The next day,

The birthday of St. Nicholas is celebrated and all kids get presents. Sinterklaas returns to Spain on December 6th.

 

21 December, every year – Hoornblazen. In the eastern part of the Netherlands, people blow on horns in a tradition that goes back to the ancient Germanic tribes.

 

31 December, every year – New years’ eve (Dutch: oudejaarsavond). The end of the year is celebrated with loud bangs from the firework. Especially on the countryside people shoot carbide to make even more noise. This practice goes back to Germanic customs to scare away evil spirits.