Fun and festivities in Netherlands - celebrations, festivals and cultural events

People in the Netherlands love and know how to celebrate holidays. Parties are held in a grand manner and in an atmosphere of complete identity. One of the most surprising, strange and amazing holidays is the meeting of the local Santa Claus or, as it is called in the Netherlands, Sinterklaas. He arrives in his ship from Spain with his black servants, Zwarte Piets, in mid-November. From this moment, the pre-holiday fuss begins in the country. Zwarte Piets that are walking around the streets, give out sweets or shower all passers-by with cookies, prepare lists of guilty and obedient children. Disobedient toddlers are frightened that the Zwarte Piets will take them to a terrible and distant Spain. On the night of December 5, children put a special slipper in the corridor, where Sinterklaas puts gifts and biscuits.

It is not customary to decorate the streets on Christmas Day in the Netherlands. This is a very quiet and family holiday. As a rule, almost no passers-by are met on the streets; there are practically no fairs here either. One of the main public holidays is the Day of the Queen or the King (on April 27). This holiday is celebrated by the whole country. Streets turn into the single continuous orange procession in honor of the queen or the king. Carnivals and parades are arranged in the cities. Ferries and barges get stuck in jams at the channels. In Amsterdam, huge scenes are set literally on every major street. Music and performances are heard from everywhere. This holiday is a symbol of the Netherlands, so tourists should definitely visit it.

Every year on November 20-24, there is a traditional cannabis festival in Amsterdam. During the festival, coffeeshops compete in different categories. They reveal the best varieties of marijuana, hashish, the best beer or cupcakes based on marijuana. The quality is accessed by judges. Anyone can be a judge for just 200 euros. Jury members personally taste all the proposed options and, based on personal feelings, endure the verdict. Common visitors can taste different food or drinks with cannabis, buy clothes made of hemp, as well as aromatic oils or accessories for smoking. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

In spring, another bright event is taking place in the Netherlands. That’s the Parade of Flowers. This is one of the most beautiful and grandiose festivals in the country. Twenty flower platforms and thirty wagons bring the procession from Noordwijk, through the largest flower park of Keukenhof, to Harlem. Throughout the summer, the country turns into a single holiday. Four major cities - Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht - host musical and theatrical festivals one by one. Once in 5 years, a parade of boats and sea vessels is held in Amsterdam. The next one will take place in 2025.

In summer, there are gay parades in the Netherlands that are specific to this free country. These are pretty colorful events in the traditional rainbow palette. The Netherlands is one of the most tolerant countries in relation to minorities, as manifested in its culture. In winter, you can visit the festival of light in Amsterdam. That’s a colorful and incredibly bright event, during which various masters put their light installations to public display. There is an incredible number of museums in the Netherlands. Several days a year, they open their doors for free or for a nominal fee of 1 euro. This allows you to get acquainted with the cultural heritage.