National Holidays and Festivities
These are the Dutch national holidays or other festive days that are celebrated. In general this means that schools and offices are closed. Most shops in shopping areas will be opened (adjusted opening hours).
- New Year’s Day (Nieuwjaar) – 1 January.
- Easter (Pasen) – March/April.
The Dutch celebrate two days of Easter (Easter Sunday aka eerste paasdag and Easter Monday aka tweede paasdag)
- Ascension Day (Hemelvaartsdag) – Forty days after Easter, always on Thursday.
- King’s Day (Koningsdag) - 27 April.
In the Hague: The Life I live Festival on the evening before Kingsday. A festival throughout the city with a lot of podia and concerts. For free (!)
- Remembrance Day (Dodenherdenking) - 4 May.
The Dutch pay their respects to those who have died in wars or peacekeeping missions since the outbreak of World War II, holding two minutes of silence, memorial services and silent marches
- Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag) – 5 May.
The Dutch celebrate the liberation from the German occupation (1940-1945). This is an official holiday every five years
- Pentecost (Pinksteren) - Seven weeks after Easter.
The Dutch celebrate two days of Pentecost (on Sunday and the following Monday)
- Veteran’s Day (Veteranendag) – on the last Saturday of June.
The Dutch Veterans Day is a tribute to Dutch veterans.
- Prince’s Day (Prinsjesdag) – on the third Tuesday in September.
In the Netherlands, Budget Day is known as Prinsjesdag or ‘Prince’s Day’.
- Sinterklaas – 5 December.
This is not an official holiday, but parents leave work early to celebrate ‘pakjesavond’ (an evening when presents are exchanged) with their children
- Christmas Eve (kerstavond) – 24 December
- Christmas (Kerstmis) – 25 and 26 December