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“Up until 2013, before Willem Alexander became the king, we celebrated his mother’s birthday ”
Orange is our national colour, so everyone will be wearing something in this colour. A lot of people also paint little Dutch flags on their faces. Now you know enough to celebrate Koningsdag with the Dutchies.
Buy yourself some orange clothing and join the fun! The birthday boy: Willem Alexander
There are a few different ways and traditions. One of them is flea markets! Mostly kids, but also adults, organise flea markets. They sell mainly small things, like toys or books they don’t use anymore. Another way to celebrate Koningsdag is by going to a party or festival. This already starts the night before, which is called Koningsnacht (King’s Night). During the day, there are festivals in most of the big cities in the Netherlands and a lot of bars host a party. You often have to buy a ticket to get in, but it’s definitely worth it! If you decide to celebrate Koningsdag just like the Dutch people, you’ll have to make sure you follow the dress code to fit in. Luckily, this is quite easy: just wear orange!
Day’s motto: Orange (juice) first!